Darkness prevails
by RexxieRoulette
Summary: Stressed out and losing hope, Betty agrees to attend a Blossom party in hopes of some liquid courage or at least a break. But rumors unfold and stories get twisted. Can Betty fight her demons, whilst fighting for the truth? Bughead, AU, Hurt and talk of self harm. Be warned.
1. Chapter 1

Hiya, so I've posted some stories before, but life happened and I gave up on them. I know, I suck. But recently, I found virtue in Riverdale. It's amazing, cast, OST, storyline, everything. Obviously my love delves deeper for Jughead and Betty, as I vividly jumped for joy when they kissed, and squealed when they almost jumped eachothers bones in the season finale. This is just a one shot, possible to become more if so desired, but for right now it's just that. Angsty stories are my fave too, so I hope you enjoy, or at least feel something!

* * *

Betty sighed, leaning against her locker beside Veronica.

"What's wrong B? You looked like you haven't slept in days." Ronnie was blunt, but it was a necessary evil in the limelight. Betty always knew what her friend was thinking.

"I'm just tired." Ronnie didn't look convinced, but left the topic alone. Changing subjects, Veronica mentioned a party they should go to.

"You want me, the party style of a door mat, to go to one of the _Blossom_ parties?" Ronnie just nodded, smiling.

Sighing again, Betty just shrugged. No way to convince her friend otherwise.

Hours went by quickly as Betty worried less about the party, and more about her tests, her college applications, her moms disapproval, her unrequited love for Archie. It all kept piling up. Taking over the Blue&Gold was a mistake as well, since not long after she reopened it, Jughead Jones, former bestie of Archie and Betty, wormed his way in. Their relationship was testy, at best, since Jughead was a serpent now. They haven't spoken alone in well over 4 years.

Not that she cared. Nope. Not at all. Betty was above the drama that was a Southside Serpent. They just ignored eachother in the halls anyway.

Sighing again, she finally gave into the idea of this party being fun. She needed fun. She needed a break. So she steeled her nerves, and head over the Veronica's house to get ready.

Who knew what a nightmare it would actually turn out to be.

* * *

The scene unfolding was less than comical, but that didn't waver Cheryl's maniacal laughter to resonate through the air. Most people sat in silence, no doubt processing what Chuck just blurted out to the entire student body.

"I slept with Betty Cooper."

He'd said it so casually, like everyone knew and should've expected it.

Everyone, except for Betty, apparently.

She sat in horror, as her peers sent countless looks and whispers under their breath in her direction. Swallowing hard, she clenched her fists and dug deep. She would not step down to their level and fight.

"Who knew the pretty pink _princess_ would get down and dirty with Chuck" Cheryl's voice broke the silence once more.

"Oh it was more than just down, and a helluva lot dirtier too, right Betty?" All eyes shot the her as Chuck just smirked.

Clenching her fists harder, Betty just rose to her feet, looked around once more, and head for the door. Pushing past the masses, she quickly made her way down the street, not caring where she would go. Tears spilled freely from her bloodshot eyes, finally giving into the disdain she was feeling.

Without a real destination in mind, she set out to Sweetwater River. The fresh air was meant to clear her head. At least that's what she thought anyway. As she walked, the tears kept falling. Till eventually they stopped. And she stopped feeling.

She neared the river bed within the hour, her whole body still shaking from the shock. Was it this cold when she left? She didn't know. All she knew was to get away. Far away. Biting her tongue, she relived the moments from earlier that night. The eyes of disgust from peers, the whispers of a rumor that was far from the truth. No one would care about the truth now though, not when they all thought Betty was just a booty call for Chuck.

Her breathing became ragged as she dove head first into a panic attack. Her whole body quaking from the trauma. Her head was spinning, she couldn't feel her fingers. All she could do was scream.

And scream she did.

Betty wailed out in pain as her nails dragged across her forearms. Again and again. Physical pain to alleviate the mental pain. A small clearing in the fog that was her mind. Her breathing calmed, but her mind still raced. Dropping her gaze from the stars, Betty set her sights on the water. The tide was brutal. She played with the idea of how long it would take for her to go under, when a voice broke the silence.

"Betty?"

She spun quickly, a flash of white bursting behind her eyelids from the movement. Regaining her vision, she set her eyes on the origin of the voice.

"Jughead?" His smile was the same, forced and sad. His eyes were inspecting her, no doubt in response to the rumor everyone's been talking about.

"What're you doing out here Betty? It'd cold." She laughed dryly, and turned around.

"Just go home Jughead." She heard him sigh, and heard movement behind her. So she stepped forward, toes engulfed in water.

"Betty." His voice was strained, his movements halted. His eyes darted to her marred forearms, and still shaking body. "Betty, I need you to come away from the water"

"Why?" She took a step further, and his voice rose in panic.

"Please."

She took another step. "Why should I, Jughead?" She yelled out, spinning around to look him in the eye.

"You don't know me. You don't care about me. Just go home and pretend you never saw me. Pretend you don't even know my name!"

"You're the one who ignored me! How could I compete with the boy-next-door Archie? Or the Vixens? Or your mom? You stopped talking to me Betty, not the other way around." His voice was dead, his heart racing. Taking a small step forward, he extended his hand.

Tears began to spill from her eyes again as she took a step back. "I never should have left you Juggie.."

Her voice was cut off by waves of water, crashing into her lungs as she went under.

"BETTY!" Jughead dove after her.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello again. So I wrote another chapter because people wanted it, and I also just found comfort in writing. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Darkness.

That's all she felt after the waves of pressure tore through her muscles, her pain, her very being. Then there was nothing.

No noise.

No pain.

No rumors.

No Chuck Clayton or Cheryl Blossom.

Absolute nothingness, but the nothingness did not last.

The calm before the storm.

"BETTY!"

She could barely process the noise. Who was the last person around her? Jughead. That's right. Jughead freaking Jones of all people was the last thing she remembered before the darkness. But what was going on? Jughead was screaming. Screaming what though?

"BETTY!"

Her name? Clearly Betty was delusional, since she almost drowned. Jughead Jones did not go out of his way to save her life. The life of Betty Cooper. Cheerleader. Student counsel member. Girl-next-door. Perfect pink _princess_. No, it couldn't be. Betty was a backstabbing bitch.

"Betty, I don't mean to be rude, but you acting like dead weight is far too heavy for my lack of muscle mass. Please get up, I know you're awake." His voice rang out, a beacon through the darkness.

Coughing loudly, she pulled away from his embrace. Hyper aware of how close they just were. Coughing again, she pushed away from the boy beside her, visibly shaking still. They both were. She scanned her clothing quickly, noting her light pink top had gone see through from the water. Thankfully, her dark blue bra kept things from being too … _out there_. As she scanned the rest of her body, she came across her forearms and visibly inhaled at the sight.

Her porcelain skin marred, her darkness rearing its nasty head from within. Her breathing became ragged once more, panic rising from the ashes. How would she go to school like this? With the rumors of her and Chuck still sore in the back of her mind, more anxiety spiked painfully. Leaning back on her knees, Betty coughed on the air that lacked to reach her lungs. Encircling her arms around herself, she dug her nails in once more.

 _Physical pain to deal with the emotional pain_

As her nails dug deep, she heard his voice from beyond. Stopping in her tracks, she blankly stared at his scared features. The blue eyes of her childhood, big and sad and pleading. His hand was outstretched, like he was approaching a wild animal. One who was scared and willing to kick if threatened.

Would Betty hurt him if he touched her?

The darkness within plainly stating if she felt threatened, she should attack.

So she did.

She batted his outstretched hand away and stood quickly. Her breathing still fast, she turned full circle in attempt of finding somewhere to go. To finish what she started.

"I just saved you from drowning in Sweetwater river, and this is how you act?" The incredulous look in his eyes was almost comical, had she any energy left to laugh. When she didn't respond right away, Jughead just grumbled and retracting his hand. Glancing at her one last time before he turned to walk away.

"Why" He stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around.

"Why what?"

Scoffing, Betty stood and faced him fully. "Why stop me?" Her voice broke, "Why did you save me?!" The tears stung as they trailed salty lines down her still wet face.

"Because you aren't allowed to die on me! You aren't allowed to leave me.. again." His eyes sparkled with unshed tears as he continued. "Not after the first time." His voice broke, sending pain throughout Betty's core. "I can handle watching you from afar. I can handle you and Archie pretending I don't exist. Ignoring me like we never even knew each other. But this-" he points to her and the river and her marred arms, "this I can't handle. You can't DIE." The panic in his voice evident, so much pain within his gaze.

Betty just sat there, unsure of how to react. How does one react to such pleas? The sheer fact that it was coming from the mouth of the boy she once knew like the back of her hand, wasn't helping her come to terms with it either. As she continued staring at Jughead, his words still resonating strongly through her, she steps back into the past. After everything she and Archie had done to him… he still cared about her?

He stepped forward again, breaking her out of the thoughts within. As he reached for her arm once again, she didn't pull away. Instead she looked down at his hand, fingers idly tracing the crimson marks so prominent against her even paler skin. Her eyes trail upward, but stop at the sight of his exposed forearm.

Against the backdrop of tan, lean muscles, sits at least a dozen little pink scars. Circular in shape, and roughly around the size of a dime, there's only one thing she can think that would've made those marks. Jughead notices her staring, and sighs.

"No, you didn't cause this. I was doing this before you and Archie left me." His voice trailed off.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was hollow, too much pain within the past few hours. Not enough time to process.

"Because you would've left me sooner, and it was already hard having to pretend I didn't notice you guys pulling away." Betty just shook her head.

Scoffing, Jughead turned away again. "Don't even say you would've been different, because you still left me."

"I didn't know Juggie..." she whispered, her body shaking again.

"Yeah, well, there's a lot you didn't know."

"Like what?"

Jughead just shook his head, back still facing her. She repeated her question. "Like _what_ Jughead?"

"Like I love you Betty!"


	3. Chapter 3

Another chapter. No one asked for it, but I wrote it for Tumblr anyway. Maybe you'll enjoy it? Maybe not. Oh well. Read, Review.

I don't own anything. (:

* * *

Silence is a virtue.

Ignorance is bliss.

As time moved like molasses, the two teens by Sweetwater River never moved, just staring at one another. For what seemed like an eternity they stood there. Their unmoving bodies, emotion filled eyes, and tension between them sat motionless; like they were bolted in place. Frozen forever.

Then all too soon, their silence was interrupted.

Sounds from behind Jughead pulled him out of his reverie first, much to his dismay. The rustling from the trees beyond alerted him the presence of another. Without a second thought, he had his back to Betty, facing whatever was coming towards them. He backed up till he was mere inches from her still shaking features.

"Jughead? What's wrong?" Her voice wasn't loud, but definitely not quiet. Putting a finger to his lips, he simply shook his head and kept watching the treeline.

Seconds turned to minutes, but to the pair it felt like hours before Veronica emerged from the threshold, her red-haired counter in step.

"Ronnie?" Betty visibly relaxed at the sight of her best friends. Jughead just sighed, turning to the blonde behind him. He caught her eye, and she smiled shyly, looking down.

At her self inflicted wounds.

Panic rose within her, Jughead shook his head slightly. Quickly, he shed his leather jacket, the one he received from his father as acceptance into the "family business", the Southside Serpents. She shook her head, declining his offer before he cut her off grabbing her hand. He leaned close to her ear and whispers, "Are you really gonna explain to Archie and _Veronica_ why you have scratches all up your arms?" A look of horror at the possibility crossed her features. Sighing with defeat, she extends her arm out as Jughead slides the cool leather over her arm, around her shoulders, and pulling it closely around her chest.

"Betty! Where have you been?!" Veronica exclaimed, finally within earshot of the mishmashed pair.

"I needed air, so I went for a walk. I left hours ago Ronnie." Betty stated, matter-of-factually. Veronica glanced at Jughead, then at the jacket adorned over Betty's shoulders.

"Well me and Archie have been looking for you since bailed the party. Why didn't you text one of us that you were leaving?" Betty's faced blanked.

"You couldn't honestly expect me to stay after Chuck said all those nasty things about me, right?" She was shaking again. Jughead reached for her hand, occupying her fingers. "Oh, but you wouldn't know about that, since you were too busy sucking face with Archie to care about that."

Veronica went pale.

Archie choked on his own spit, face as red as his hair.

Jughead just smirked.

"Why are you being like this? What happened at the party?"

"Oh you didn't hear? Apparently I fucked Chuck. And it was down and dirty. At least that's what people are saying anyway." Jughead went stiff, squeezing her hand.

"Oh my god Betty, are you ok?" Concern was evident in Veronica's voice, she reached a hand out to Betty. But Betty just pulled away, moving more behind Jughead.

"Like you care. Last I checked, your first priority is Archie. I'm always second." She huffed out.

Veronica scoffed at that, "Why are you really out here huh? With him of all people.." Her voice trailed off, indicating some ulterior motive.

Archie pipped up at that, "Yeah! And why are you wearing that _thing_."

"What _thing_ Archie?"

"That Serpent jacket. You know they're a gang right?" Jughead clenched his fists, whole body going rigid. He opened his mouth to retort when Betty's hand squeezed again. Signaling to drop it.

Crossing her arms, Veronica raised her eyebrow, waiting for Betty's response to the barrage of questions. Betty just rolled her eyes, turned on her heel and stormed off. Dragging Jughead with her.

"Are you really choosing a serpent over your best friends?!" Veronica yelled at her retreating figure.

Without turning around, Betty just yelled back. "You chose your boyfriend over me, I'm just doing the same."

* * *

They arrived at the trailer Jughead currently resided in, an hour had passed since the events at the river. Jughead opened the door, stepping aside to let Betty head in first. As she entered the living room, he closed the door and flicked on the light. The dim trailer lit up as Betty took in her surroundings. Jughead disappeared to the bedroom, changing out of his still wet clothes into jeans and a shirt, shedding his beanie as well. He padded over to the other room, handing Betty one of his old shirts and a pair of pajama pants.

Taking the clothes, she smiled and retreated to the room Jughead changed in. The clothes were a bit big, but fit nonetheless. She lightly folded his jacket, and head back to the living room. Walking up to him, she extended her arms, handing over his jacket to him. He accepted it, but quickly discards it on the couch, turning back to reach for her wrists. She pulls away quickly, folding her arms across her torso.

Sighing, Jughead reaches his hand out slightly, "I just want to make sure they aren't infected. Ok?" His eyes sincere.

She lets him wrap his long fingers around her wrists, pulling them up slightly. His eyes shine with pain, masking his anger. Her arms were adorned with 4 long, semi-deep scratches, from inner elbow to just past halfway to her wrist. They were red, swollen and ugly. But the water seemed to wash out any sign of infection. Sighing with relief, Jughead kept his hands around her wrists, and tugged her towards the couch. As he sat, she looked down and sat beside him.

"So I'm your boyfriend now?" His smirk was genuine, his pain masked tightly away.

"Wait what" She squeaked out. Her face went bright red, and she avoided his eyes with every ounce of energy she had left.

"Earlier, when we were leaving, abide you dragging me away from that whole scenario. You said Veronica chose her boyfriend over you, so you're doing the same." His smile was pure mischief, enjoying every second of Betty's embarrassment.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't say that.." She trailed off, playing with her fingers. His hand reached out, cupping her chin and tilting her face upward. She still avoided his eyes, but he smiled bigger when he saw how flustered she really was.

"Elizabeth Cooper. You like me." It wasn't a question, but Betty shook her head vigorously, slapping him with her damp hair. She opened her mouth to retort, or agree, or say something at least. But her voice was cut off by his lips gently pressing against her own.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello again. This story is shaping up to be a lot longer than I thought. Oh well. I enjoy the writing. Hope you guys do as well.

I do not own anything, (:

* * *

It's been a week. Her lips still tingled from the phantom kiss. Too much of that night was a blur; the kiss from Jughead was all too vivid in comparison. What was she doing at Sweetwater anyway? Why was Jughead? Countless questions, no one to answer them.

Veronica's ego was still bruised, which was why she had been ignoring Betty since that night.

Archie hadn't said a word to Betty either, even keeping his bedroom window curtain closed every night. No doubt aware of their window to window conversations.

They were both acting petty. It was just a big misunderstanding, but Ronnie was being too proud to back down from a war Archie was too oblivious to tell what from who, and Betty was too stubborn to crack first.

So the war proceeded.

The only other person she could talk to wasn't at school for the past week.

Sighing, Betty head into the administrative office, approaching the secretary quietly. "Good morning Mrs. Woods! How are you this fine day?"

The older woman smiled, "Ms. Cooper! How lovely to see you. My morning is well, how about yours?"

"I'm doing ok. I was actually wondering if you could help me with something?" Betty looked hopeful, smiling sweetly.

"Absolutely. What can I do for you?" How anyone was _this_ happy in the morning was beyond any comprehension from Betty.

Leaning forward slightly, she lowered her voice. "I know it's _technically_ not allowed, but I was wondering if you could tell me why Jughead hasn't been at school lately?" She smiled again, putting as much charm into her words as possible.

The older woman looked uneasy, "Oh. I'm not supposed to say..." Betty sighed, but smiled again.

"Oh c'mon. What if I bring you some of my moms famous brownies? She made too much for the meeting at the Register, and no one ate any! I know just how much you love them. We wouldn't want to waste them, right?"

"Ok fine, but only this once!" The secretary leaned forward, lowering her own voice. "Truth is Betty, Mr. Jones transferred to Southside high about 2 weeks ago."

Well.

Shit.

Thanking the secretary, Betty left and slumped against her locker. How was she, a Riverdale Vixen and student council member, going to get access to a single student at Southside High?

Sighing once more, she closed her eyes and internally scolded herself. Maybe it was for the best that she doesn't talk to him. Things could be, _weird_. But if she didn't figure this all out, would Ronnie and Archie ever talk to her again? Groaning, she stands up straight and heads to her next class.

"I'll just go over there and talk to him, quick and simple. Nothing more, nothing less."

An hour later, Betty pulled up in front of Southside High. Paying the taxi driver, she slowly steps out of the car, inhaling the smell of cigarettes and gasoline. She shakes her heads and hands, unsuccessfully easing the tension that was seeping into her bones. Failing to gain any courage to advance further, she let her mind wander to that night again.

The words were blurs, the events mostly shrouded by darkness. The only thing she could vividly remember was Jughead leaning his face towards hers, placing a long and gentle kiss against her lips. That's all she remembered, not even knowing how she got home that night or where her clothes were either.

Snapping out of her reverie, she looks over the entrance of the school once more, taking in more details. Outside the main doors sat an array of bikes, motorized and not alike. Occupying the space between the bikes and the door were at least a dozen leather-clad teenagers: The Southside Serpents. At least, the younger ones anyway.

They were loud, obnoxious and unnecessarily rough with one another. Some were small, lanky and energetic. Other were brutish and large, matching the physique of some of the football players at Riverdale. None matched the shape of Jughead though.

Swallowing her fear, and what remained of her lunch, Betty stepped forward gingerly. As she neared the group, one of the larger guys spotted her, signaling the rest to fall in step behind him. As he approached her, his eyes traveled the length of her body. Like she was a piece of meat, waiting to be claimed. Disgusted, Betty scolded herself for not changing out of her cheerleading uniform. She had left lunch practice early to get here anyway.

Subconsciously tugging her skirt down a little, she smiled shyly.

"Whats a beauty like you doing on _this_ side of the tracks?" The guys voice rang out, desire evident in his words.

"I was looking for someone, maybe you guys know him?" She eyed their jackets again. "He's a serpent.."

The guy laughed, the group behind him joining moments later. "Now why you looking for him when you got me? I can give you anything he can. Probably more." He winked, licking his lips. Shuddering, Betty took a ginger step back.

"Uh, no thank you. His name is Jughead. Do you know him?" Betty was losing patience, and time. She needed to get back to school before 2.

"Like I said, I can give you more than he ever could." He winked again.

Actually groaning, Betty just crossed her arms over her chest. "If you can't help me, then I'll be leaving now." She huffed out, spinning on her heel.

The guy stepped forward, reaching a meaty hand out to Betty. Panic rose within her as his hand wrapped around wrist, pulling her to face him.

Biting back a scream, Betty clenched her other hand tightly, digging her nails in. "Let. Me. Go." The guy just smiled, looking her over once more.

"The lady said let her go." Betty snapped her head in the direction of the new voice, sighing with relief when she spots Jughead just a few feet away. A younger serpent behind him, no doubt the one who told him she was there.

"Yeah, and if I don't?" It wasn't a threat, but wasn't a question either. He tightened his grip on Betty's wrist, making her wince.

Jughead clenched his teeth, failing to keep his anger under control. "How about this," Jughead took a step forward, placing his hand on the assailants wrist, "I tell you to let her go." He pulled the guys hand off Betty's wrist, pulling her behind him quickly. His eyes flashed with something dark as the guy just chuckled.

"She's a Riverdale Vixen dude, she's not here for you."

"That's where you're wrong, _dude._ Betty is my girlfriend." A collective gasp rocked the group, the guy in front just letting out an angry sigh.

Jughead spun on his heel, linking his fingers within Betty's, pulling her along without another word. "Oh, and don't ever touch what's mine again." A dangerous glint was in his eye when he shouted over his shoulder.

As they turned the corner, Jughead tugged her in front of him, spinning her around to face him.

"What are you doing here Betty?! Do you not understand how _dangerous_ this side of town is?" Jughead's voice rang out, any trace of anger gone.

Betty opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by Jughead's lips crashing against her. She gasped, closing her eyes at the contact. His hands moved to her face, pulling back slightly. Their breathe mingled as her eyes stayed closed.

"Do you know how worried I was when I saw you with _him_? Do you not know who Boulder is?" He leaned his forehead against hers, letting out a breath.

"I needed to talk to you. How was I supposed to know they were going to give me trouble?" She huffed out, pulling away from him.

"Common sense? This is _Southside High_ Betty. Serpents run this whole side of town." He hitched a thumb at his back, showing his emblem on the jacket she still felt around her.

"Well I'm sorry." Jughead just sighed, reaching for her hand and uncoiling her fingers. Pain flashed through his eyes when he noticed the small crescent cuts on her palm.

"Well, you got me alone. What did you want to talk to me about?" Betty shook her head, pulling away.

"What happened that night? I only remember you kissing me." Her face went red at the memory, but stayed with her back to him.

"You don't remember? Anything?" His voice spiked with hurt, but he stayed still.

"I don't know if you noticed Juggie, but I'm not exactly sane."

He reached for her shoulder, turning her to face him. "Betty, look at me." She kept her gaze fixed on his foot, eyeing something on his pants. He placed a hand under her chin, tilting her face upward. "Betty, I won't tell you unless you look at me." She turned her face to his, but kept her eyes downcast. Sighing, he pipped up again. "With your eyes too Betty."

She was too stubborn for her own good, so she kept her eyes off his face with every ounce of strength she had left.

Sighing loudly, Jughead finally opened his mouth.

"Betty, we had sex."


	5. Chapter 5

Hi again. Here's another chapter. Longer than the rest, though it doesn't entirely reach the fluffy stuff I adore. Oh well. Read, Review, love me. Doesn't matter what order. Oh, I was also wondering guys. Do you have any ideas you'd like for me to add to this story? I'm down to add some more, just needed to get my creativity up there, you know? So shoot me a message, or a review, and you may see it in the next chapter. *FULL CREDIT TO THE IDEA CREATOR TOO*

I don't own anything. (:

* * *

Innocence is often taken for granted.

Often misconceived as a rite of passage once broken.

Betty had been one of the sappy girls, the ones who spent hours on end fantasizing about her first time. Room full of candles, rose petals, sensual music in the background. But most importantly, it would be with someone she was in love with.

Or so she had hoped anyway.

And although Jughead had confessed his love for her, she didn't know if she felt the same.

"Earth to Betts." Jughead was waving a hand in front of her face, failing to break her distant eyes.

Shaking her head, Betty stared blankly at the raven haired boy in front of her. "We… we – uh – I'm sorry. What did you just say?" She managed to squeak out, face so red it put Archie's hair to shame.

Rolling his eyes, he chuckled. "Sex Betty. You know, where a guy and a girl are physically attracted to one another, so they shed their clothes and-"

"LA LA LA" Betty cut him off, slapping her hands to her ears and shaking her head vigorously.

Laughing again, Jughead pulled her hands away and wrapped them in his own. "Betty." Her head snapped up at the sound of her name. "Betty, it was just sex. Why? What's up?"

Her mind went blank.

How had she agreed to have sex with _Jughead_ of all people? To give up what made her pure and innocent? To just hand over the one thing she had complete control over. Her body began to shake, mind racing a mile a minute. Her fingers itched to pierce skin, to clear the fog and help her breath. His eyes filled with alarm, no doubt aware of her rising panic attack.

"Betty, look at me." His voice was calm, steady in comparison to her raging emotions. How was he so calm? She spun on her heel, needing space to think. Jughead reached for her hand, but she pulled away quickly.

"This isn't – no..." She trailed off, voice just barely above a whisper. She continued to retreat, both within herself, and further from him physically. He reached for her again, but she scampered away with ease.

"Betty. _Please_." His voice broke, the pain so evident it momentarily pulled her out of the deep end.

She doesn't want to ask, but so desperately needs to know. "Did I…" she swallows a lump in her throat, "did I … agree?" She trails off, placing her hands on her thighs and applying ample pressure. Not enough to break the skin, but well enough to ground her in the moment. Present.

What a sharp intake of breath, Jughead retracts his hand and steels his features. "Are you _seriously_ asking if I -" his voice dips to just above a whisper, "-if I _raped_ you?" His face was a whirlwind of emotion; pain, anger, pity, disappointment. But out of it all, the most prominent was surprise.

Then he did something Betty assumed was the start of a mental breakdown.

Jughead laughed.

The laugh wasn't genuine. Betty could tell right away. It was more raw, like a gaping wound staring at you, or an exhausted parent laughing at their dysfunctional child.

She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it at the jaded look from Jughead. Her body still shook from anxiety, but when he stepped forward again, she didn't pull away. He reached out and gingerly plucked her fingers away from her thighs, linking both hands within his.

Sighing, Jughead began. "When I kissed you, I didn't intend for it to reach that point. I didn't even realize I was actually kissing you till it was too late. I know to girls, sex is … special." She was eyeing him closely. "But after everything else that happened earlier in the night, I don't know. I just couldn't stop. Didn't want to stop." He exhaled, catching his breath and avoiding her eyes. "I asked if you wanted to, and you say yes. I asked so many times, and you just kept saying yes. I was so happy. I could finally be with Betty Cooper, resident sweetheart and keeper of my heart." His face lowered to their joined hands as he placed soft kisses on her fingers.

When he spoke again, his voice was raw, choking on his own emotions. "You almost _died_ Betty. I couldn't stand the idea of losing you before I could feel what it was like to kiss you. Even if just once."

Minutes passed, silence feeding off Betty's whirlpool of emotions. Finally, she pulled one of her hands free, smiling slightly when Jughead lets out a sad sigh. He releases her other hand, and hung his head. As he starts turning around, no doubt retreating away, Betty launches herself into his arms. Taken aback, but quick to recover, he wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

"I'm sorry" was all she said, muffled from her face burrowed in his neck.

"For what?"

She pulls out of his arms, but lowers her hands to his wrists. "For pulling away before. For leaving you." She's eyeing his arms, still covered by the leather. Knowing what she's looking at though, he quickly diverts her attention.

"I already told you Betts, that's not from you. Or Archie. I was doing this long before you guys left." He spoke about it in present tense, piquing her curiosity. Reaching down, she gingerly wraps her fingers around his wrist and pulls the jacket sleeve up to his elbow.

Gasping, she places a hand to her mouth, muffling sobs from within. The marks she'd seen that night were nothing in comparison to some of the others he adorned. He pulls a hand up to her chin, and tilts it so she's looking at his face, not his survival.

"Betty, you didn't do this. You didn't know about it. You couldn't have stopped it." He leans forward, placing a light kiss on her nose, trying desperately to distract her.

As she opens her mouth to say something, the bell rings. Signaling the end of 5th period.

" _Shit_. Wait, I mean… uh, darn." Jughead just laughs at her. "I need to get back before I miss last period." Sighing, he just nods.

"Uh – quick question." She blurts out, before he can turn to head into the school.

"What's up?"

"What exactly… are we?"

"I don't know. How about I take you to Pops and we find out?" He winks at her, and retreats into the school before she can decline. Smiling to herself, she just pulls out her phone and calls a taxi.

* * *

Betty makes it to Riverdale High in less than 20 minutes, a new record. She should start keeping track. As she jogs up the steps to the front doors, Chuck appears from behind them.

"Well well well. If it isn't little miss _princess_." Stopping dead in her tracks, Betty grips her phone till her knuckles turn white.

"What do you want, _Chuck_." Her voice dips with venom at his name, causing him to smirk.

"Oh I was just checking up on why our star student wasn't in 5th or 6th period." He takes a step forward, reaching out to caress her cheek. She pulls away quickly, steadying herself from tumbling down the steps.

"Do not, touch me." His smile was pure evil, feigning innocence.

"So you'd rather let a _Serpent_ run his dirty little hands over you, than the quarterback?" Mock hurt sprawls over his features, as she digests what he just said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I have eyes everywhere, Betty. I know you went to Southside High today. And the only people who go to that school are drug dealers, or serpents. Mostly a mix of both." Her heart drops at the mention of her trip, no doubt worried her mom will find out.

Steeling her features, she pushes past him and heads into the school. The bell rings, and the halls fill with her peers. Groups melting together, quick hellos and goodbyes before the next bell rings. Betty just sighs, the hole in her chest getting bigger. As she heads to her last class, a few girls pipe up beside her.

"Isn't she the one who Chuck fucked?" Laughter amongst the group. Betty turned to look at them, but another whisper to her left caught her attention.

"So she sleeps with Chuck, then dumps him for some Southside trash? What a bitch." Her breathing becomes short, fingers curling in to dig deep, keep her grounded.

The rumors keep coming. Everyday is something different. Someone new asking for her number, or what position she liked the best. Guys would walk by and grab her thigh, or sit beside her and lay a hand on her leg. She was getting less and less sleep, up all hours with no chance of resting.

2 weeks had past since her visit to Southside. She actually liked it there, tending to visit more and more as the atmosphere of Riverdale became more hostile. She never gave Jughead a full reason why she would visit so often either, just saying she had free periods and left it at that. She suspected he didn't mind, since she was around so often.

Today was a particularly bad day though. Everyone seemed to be saying something to her, or about her, or grabbing at her. She had walked up to her locker, unlocking it to get her math book when a hand came up and rested on her ass, then pulled away and dropped back down with a loud _smack_ sound.

Turning abruptly, she came face to face with Chuck Clayton once more.

"Hey there, _Serpent Slut_." His voice was riddled with sexual tension, smirking at her startled features.

Hurrying out of the halls, she heads for the Blue&Gold office, her retreat from the hectic school. As she enters, she slams the door,locking and leaning back against it. Hot tears slide down her face, unaware of the crying even starting. She pulls out her phone, unable to decide who to call.

Before she knows it, her fingers are dialing, and the phone is ringing. Incapable of hanging up, a familiar voice speaks up on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Juggie..." Her voice is little over a whisper, and panic rises in his voice.

"Betty? Betty what happened. Where are you?" Muffled sounds in the background indicate movement.

"School."

"I'll be right there, just hang on ok?" She nods, knowing he can't see her actions.

Within 30 minutes Jughead appears at the window for the newspapers office, knocking quietly. Betty rushes over, opening the window and engulfing him with a hug as he enters.

"Hey there Juliet, what's got you so wound up?" Concern etched his normally stoic features, rare signs of emotions reserved for only her.

"Chuck." She says, between sniffles. His body stiffens at the mention of her aforementioned rumor starter.

"What did that asshole say this time?" Jugheads voice laced with deadly venom, pulling Betty's hands up and linking their fingers. He could feel the blood from her escape, but didn't drill her on the cause.

"Juggie..." she whispered.

"What is it Betts?"

"Can you help me take my own life?"


	6. Chapter 6

New chapter. Enjoy.

I don't own anything!

* * *

Love is a beautiful thing.

Its the smile on her face when he makes a joke, or the feel of her arms around him. The look in her eye when they're sitting in the booth at Pops. The same vanilla scent that seemed to symbolize her.

But, love can also be a dangerous thing.

It can pull people apart, or make others attack in the declaration of it. It can be hiding the truth from the one you love for fear of hurting them.

Or it can be the girl you're in love with asking you an impossible question.

"No." Jughead didn't register his mouth opening, or even trying to talk. But his voice rang out, alarm bells ringing.

Through the tears, Betty's face morphed into that of confusion. "Why not?" was all she asked, pulling out of his arms.

Scoffing, Jughead reached forward, cupping her face. "I just got you back Betts. Please don't make me lose you again. _Please_ "

Choking on a sob, Betty closed her eyes, nodding. "It's so hard though Juggie… The rumors, the names, the _touching_ -"

"Touching?" He cut her off.

"It's just so hard, I can't deal with it."

"You are so much stronger than the white noise. And if you're crazy? So what? I am too." She smiles through the tears, sniffling. "Don't give up Betty, please. "He pulls her forward, placing a kiss so full of emotion on her quivering lips. Trying to convey the thoughts he can't quite express in words.

And it must've conveyed something, because even as her body still shook from the assault of her emotions, she smiled nonetheless at the boy in front of her. Whose eyes so full of life and love, protectiveness and respect. Most of that directed at her.

"I don't deserve you Juggie.."

"Don't do that. You deserve the world Elizabeth Cooper, but I will try my best to give you even the smallest piece." Placing a gentle kiss on her temple, Jughead pulled her close. "I know I'm not a white knight in shining armor, more so a black knight in leather?" He wiggled his eyebrows, causing Betty to giggle. "But maybe I can lend you my shield – if you would have it?"

Pulling away slightly, Betty's confusion evident on her pristine features. Smirking, he yanks his serpent jacket off his shoulders, and reaches for her hand. Slowly, careful of her fresh wounds, he pulls the cool leather over her arms. Securing the jacket around her shoulders, he pulls it snug and places a kiss on her nose.

Pushing invisible dust off her shoulder, Jughead just smiles. "There. Now you have my shield. May it bring you peace and comfort."

Betty just smiled, nodding a thank you.

Cleaning up her office quickly, they head out to Pops, ordered takeout, and spent the rest of the evening at his trailer watching Netflix. After the 4th episode of Criminal Minds finished, Betty stifled a yawn and cuddled closer to Jughead, nuzzling her face into his neck.

Sighing, he traces small circles on her shoulder. "I wish I could protect you Betts. I'm sorry I live on this side of the tracks." Betty just stayed silent, breathing calm, the telltale sign she was out cold. He gazed at her sleeping figure, eyes trailing the curve of her hip.

A different kind of hunger coursed through his veins as his eyes trailed over the exposed skin of the angel beneath him. His mind wandered to places his hands have yet to discover. The valley between her breasts, the soft skin of her hips, the sensitive center he longed to delve into. His heart raced at the thoughts, of the idea that this beauty was his to touch.

He was the luckiest guy on the planet.

No, in the entire universe.

His mind wandered to all things Betty as he laid his head back and shut his eyes.

He awoke again, the trailer dark. Stiff and sore from the unnatural position, he groaned. Fishing out his phone, he hissed at the blinding light assault on his still sleepy eyes. Taking a second to adjust, he looks over at it again.

 **3:34am**

"Shit!"

Jughead jumped up, woozy for a second before switching on the light. A groan surfaced from beneath a blanket, signaling Betty wasn't too pleased at the rude awakening.

"Betts" he leaned down, shaking her gently. "Betty you need to wake up. It's 3am. Your mom is going to kill me. Then you. Then me again." He laughed nervously, but she still didn't budge.

"I don't want to be there. Can I please stay with you tonight?" Her voice was quiet, thick with sleepiness.

"What about your mom Betty?" Jughead was trying to convince himself otherwise, fully on board with the idea of her staying.

"She doesn't care. I'll just say I was at Ronnie's." She cuddled up in the blanket again, smiling tiredly up at him.

"You're gonna be the death of me Betty Cooper." He laughs, placing his arms under her legs and on her back, picking her up bridal style and heading to the bedroom. Setting her down on the mattress, he shed his beanie, jacket and jeans.

Before sliding in beside her, he asks, "Are you content with sleeping in that?" He looks pointedly at her hoodie, jeans and socks still on. She bites her lip, and unbuttons her pants.

"W-What are you doing?" He felt his face heat up, looking away quickly. Then her hand was entwined with his, and he was getting dragged down to the bed.

"You're pretty nervous for someone who took my virginity Juggie." She cooed, moving his arm to snuggle in close to him.

"It was quick, and you don't even remember it. So we could say it doesn't – what are you doing with your legs?" He could feel her silky legs rubbing up and down his, heating them up.

Her laugh filled the small room. He failed to reciprocate it, only letting out a breathy wheeze. His face reddened, eyes lowering to her collar bone. Placing a gentle kiss there, he heard Betty gasp. Encouraged, he placed another just south of the previous, eliciting another gasp to escape her lips. Shifting to lay above her, putting weight on his elbows, he traveled further down, each kiss bringing new and exciting sounds from the goddess below.

Smirking, and with newfound confidence, Jughead nipped and sucks on the sensitive skin between her delicious mounds. Betty all but screams at the contact, tangling her fingers in his messy curls. Her breathes shallow, legs squeezed together, she was squirming below him so much, you'd have thought he was tickling her.

He sucked a little harder, before she forcefully pulls his hair till his face lined up with hers, smothering him with a kiss.

"Please Juggie..." Her hooded, desire over every one of her perfect features. Jughead just smiled, kissed her soft lips and complied.

* * *

When Betty awoke the following morning, stiff and sore, sitting up she recalled the events of last night and smiled. Welcoming the tension in her muscles, she stretched and got out of bed. After putting on Jughead's discarded flannel, and her jeans, she rushed to the tiny bathroom to make herself slightly presentable.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she head out to the main room; in search of her beloved. As she rounded the corner to the kitchen, she spotted him perched on the tiny table. Feet up on the chair, laptop balancing on his knees, his back facing her. Circling around the counter, Betty reached out and covered his eyes.

"Guess who?" She bite her lip to keep from giggling.

"Gee, I don't know." Discarding the laptop and spinning abruptly, he wraps his arms around her waist, "My gorgeous girlfriend? Or should I say benevolent housemistress?" Wiggling his eyebrow, Betty just laughed at his remark

"I'd like to officially point out that this-" she throws her arms up, twirling around "-is a trailer, not a house."

"Fine fine grammar nerd. Benevolent _Trailermistress_. Better?" She nodded her approval before wrapping her around his neck, kissing him.

Jughead's hands rub her lower back, then shift to her ass, squeezing gently. A gasp emits from her, and he takes advantage, exploring her mouth with his tongue. She deepens the kiss more by tangling her fingers in his hair, tilting her head slightly.

They break apart a few minutes later, out of breath and disheveled. "If you keep that up Betts, you won't make it to school on time." He's still panting.

Betty just shrugs. "Maybe I won't go. Not like anybody will miss me there." She untangles her limbs, and heads over to the couch.

"Betty." His voice isn't demanding, just laced with concern. He plops down beside her, pulling her in to his chest. "Remember what I told you yesterday? I gave you my shield. Use it."

She looks up at him, a small smile on her lips. "Do you think I'd be allowed in the school with it on?"

"Only one way to find out." He challenges, standing up and pulling her with him. He reaches down quickly, and places the cool leather in her hands. "You might want to wear your own clothes though. People might talk..." He looked pointedly at his shirt hanging on her shoulders, smirking.

"Let 'em talk." She giggled, before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him again.

They arrive at Riverdale High within the hour, both dressed- Betty still wearing Jughead's shirt though- and ready for the day.

Before she gets out of his dads truck, she turns to give him a kiss goodbye.

"Remember what I said baby, if anyone gives you trouble. Call me." He winked at her, and watched her walk up the steps into the school.

"God she is sexy."


	7. Chapter 7

Hello again. Another chapter, sorry for the slight wait between. I had a busy weekend. Anyway, enjoy. Reviews are always loved!

I don't own anything.

* * *

"Holy shit."

As Betty walked through the doors to Riverdale High, everyone gawked at her. Some people looked surprised, some were just shocked. Others had emotions too hard to read quickly splayed on their faces, so she didn't try. Head held high, shoulders back, confidence in her step. She wore dark jeans, the same flannel Jughead declared was his earlier that morning, over a white tank top. But to top it off, she had her hands deep in the pockets of the Serpent leather jacket Jughead had given to her last night. A smile played on her lips as she head to her locker.

Passing by groups of girls, many turned to openly stare at her, mouth dropping open.

"Is that the girl Chuck was talking about?"

"She's kinda hot man."

Someone cleared their throat behind her as she was sorting through her things in the locker. Turning, she let out an exasperated sigh at the sight of her two friends.

Or well, _former_ friends.

Rolling her eyes, crossing her arms firmly over her chest, Betty just stood tall. Watching. Veronica looked timid, opening her mouth to quip about her outfit, but closed it soon after. Archie deadpanned at the sight the jacket on her shoulders, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. Scoffing, Betty slammed her locker shut and head for homeroom.

"Betty wait!" Veronica called after her, heels clicking as she caught up.

"I don't have time to talk V." She felt a small hand enclose around her arm, pulling her back.

"Will you just stop, for two seconds. We need to talk." It wasn't a question, so Betty just sighed and shrugged. Letting Veronica drag her to the Blue&Gold office. As they entered the room, memories coursed through Betty from the day before.

The tears.

The desperation.

But most of all, the love. Not the platonic love she once felt for Jughead and Archie. No, this was something deeper. Something real, raw and painful to handle some days. The familiar tug in her chest brings a smile to her face.

The sound of the door closing brought Betty out of her reverie. Her socialite friend of a few years stood watching, once again looking her over. Scrutinizing every detail of her outfit, the way she stood, any sign of something off. Pursing her lips, Betty just leaned against her desk, waiting.

Finally, Veronica broke the silence. "First things first. I'm so sorry B." She approached, hands resting on Betty's arm. "I didn't mean the things I said that night. I had a few drinks. B-But that's no excuse!" Betty scoffed.

"An apology won't help you." Betty pulled out of her grasp, circling around the desk. "You didn't help, _Ronnie._ You or Archie." She clenches her teeth, trying to soothe the burn in her chest. "When Chuck and Cheryl were saying those terrible things about me, you two were off somewhere else."

Veronica's features dipped with sadness. "I know. _I know._ I messed up. But please Betty." She held up one finger, determination in her eyes. "One more chance."

The raven haired princess had a way with words, and incredibly difficult puppy eyes to say no to. "Fine." Veronica squealed, racing around the desk and throwing her arms around Betty. "But, I'm still mad at you. And Archie." Veronica just nodded, snuggling closer. Betty just let out a breathy laugh, hugging her friend back.

The rest of the morning went by quickly. Quickly being a relative term that is. Many more people gawked, openly said something, or called her down. But instead of taking it in alone, as she walked the halls through the torment, Veronica was beside her. Shooting daggers at anyone watching, striding beside her best friend with so much confidence, it was oozing from the creases.

Archie soon followed, not quite 100% OK with the Serpent emblem adorning Betty's back, but stayed with them nonetheless.

When lunch hit, the 3 head over to their normal table. Chatting amongst themselves, they blatantly ignored the stares and whispers.

"So, please fill me in." Veronica perked up, leaning against the table to talk quieter to Betty who sat across. "Are you and Jughead, like, _together_ together now?" Archie choked on his fries, but looked at Betty expectantly as well.

Her face heat up at the scrutiny, but a small smile played on her lips. She just nodded, not trusting her voice. Veronica's face lit up, smiling large. A giggle erupted from her lipstick covered lips, as she leaned against Archie's shoulder. The red head just smiled, asking how his former best friend was doing.

"He's doing ok. Kinda lonely, I think. But that's a given." Archie just nodded, smile dropping.

"And he gave you this, bad ass Betty look?" Betty's face once again reddened. "I love it, don't worry B. I was just wondering." Her friend pipped up quickly. Betty just nodded, munching on a stray fry.

"So the rumors are true."

Betty didn't need to turn around to know who was speaking behind her. And the looks on Archie and Veronica's faces painted a clear picture who was with him. Sighing, Betty turned and looked up.

Chuck Clayton stood a few feet away, a smug smile playing on his lips. Cheryl stood of the his right, eyes aflame at the sight of Betty's jacket no doubt. A few others stood behind them, no one worth naming though.

"What do you want?" Her voice was dull, body timid. Chuck was eyeing her outfit closely, and Betty internally screamed at herself for showing so much skin. Subconsciously crossing her arms over her chest, Betty waited for him to say something.

"Had I known you would dress like _this_ , I never would've let you leave me." His voice was dipped with venom.

"I was never _yours_ in the first place, Chuck." Her voice was steady, unlike her heart.

Chuck just laughed, eyes burning with something Betty couldn't pinpoint. "That's where you're wrong, _Serpent Slut._ You were always mine."

Veronica stood up, coming to stand in front of Betty's shaking figure. "Watch it nuts for brains, or you'll be eating those words with your teeth." The group behind Chuck laughed at the threat, Chuck just smiled at the socialite.

"Seems like your bestie wants in too. Should we let her join us Betty? I'm always down for a threesome." He winked at Betty, sending a shudder through her spine.

"Wow they really like it down a dirty." Cheryl pipped up then, face blank as she watched the scene in front of her.

"Ronnie, lets just go." Betty's voice was small, unsteady. Veronica looked over her shoulder, signaling for Archie to leave too. She turned back to the group, eyeing them coolly, before turning on her heel and storming off. Betty stood seconds later, turning to follow when a hand came out, roughly stopping her in her tracks.

"Where are you going _babe_. I never said you could leave without being dismissed." Chuck's voice was just a whisper, his face inches from her ear. She pulled hard against his hand, trying to get free. He tightened his grip, making her yelp out in pain.

"I'm going to ask you once." A new voice broke the tension, Betty looking up quickly. Jughead stood a few feet away, a few serpents behind him, all deadly looks in their eyes. Archie and Veronica stood to the side, watching. "Let go of her." His voice was hard, features impossible to read.

Chuck let out a hard laugh, eyes ablaze. He tightened his grip once more, making her wince. "I'm gonna need that to be a little nicer." Jughead's fists clenched hard, knuckles turning white. Stepping forward slightly, he kept his eyes locked on hers. Chuck pulled her roughly. Betty tripped over her feet at the sudden movement, falling backward.

Pain erupted from the back of her skull, dark spots played within her vision. She pulled up to a sitting position, albeit the screaming pain. She was watching the scene unfold, darkness prickling the edges of her sight. Sound muffled, all she could hear was Veronica yelling. And even that wasn't super clear through the haze.

A growl had escaped Jughead's lips as he saw Chuck pull Betty, causing her to trip. Once her wrist left his hand, Jughead leapt forward, fist connecting with the football players nose. A loud _crack_ filled the air, soon followed by blood and yelling. The guys behind Chuck lurched forward, just as the serpents engulfed them. Grabbing the collar of his shirt, Jughead punched Chuck over and over again till his knuckles were bloody and bruised. As he let go, his senses in overdrive, he frantically looked around for Betty.

She was laying a few feet away, leaning against a raven haired girl and his former bestfriend. They were frantic, looking around quickly, then back down at his angel on the ground. She looked aloof, eyes droopy. Her palms a mess of blood and dirt, she was clutching his jacket like her life depended on it. Rushing over, he bent down and studied her face.

"Juggie.." Her voice was hollow, raw and painfully quiet. He bit down a whimper, before pulling his arms under her legs, and around her back, lifting quickly.

"Archie. No time for questions, just take me to the hospital." His friend nodded, sprinting to his dads truck.

"Is she gonna be ok?" The girl Betty was leaning against had tears streaming her face, but she was eyeing Jughead pointedly.

"She should have a concussion, but nothing worse. She'll be fine, but I'm gonna need you to help keep her awake, can you do that?" His voice was commanding, even the socialite princess nodded in acceptance. They rushed over to the truck, Jughead laying Betty carefully in the back, before the other girl gets in.

"Thank you…?"

"Veronica."

"Ah, thank you Veronica." His mouth was set in a thin line, as he turned to Archie and nodded to start driving.

* * *

A few hours later, and after many tests, Betty was cleared to leave. Strictly advised to avoid any strenuous activities till the bump on her head disappears. Nodding at the doctor, she smiled softly. Grabbing her phone and Jughead's jacket from the table beside her bed, she made her way to the waiting room. Since she was rushed in, and needed attention quickly, they made it so her friends couldn't come see her. She figured they would be gone home by now though. She nonetheless head over to the seating area, surprise filling her chest at the sight of Veronica, Archie and Jughead sitting around the room.

Ronnie had makeup streaks, and was sorting through the things in her purse, no doubt the 5th time she's done that.

Archie was leaning his head against the wall, sleeping in the most uncomfortable position possibly imagined.

And Jughead was sitting closest to her, head in his hands, whole body shaking. His hands were covered in bandages. Betty made a mental note to ask him why later.

She neared the 3, and before she could open her mouth to say something, Veronica looked up and gasped. Within seconds she was engulfed in a hug, Ronnie sobbing into her hair.

"I'm so glad you're ok." Veronica managed to say through sobs. Betty just rubbed her back, biting back tears of her own.

"I'm ok V, thank you." Her friend pulled back, wiping the tears from her face before turning to wake up Archie. Archie awoke quickly, standing up and rushing over to envelop her in his arms, whispering words of comfort in her ear. She just smiled, returned the hug, and thanked him.

"Betts..." She turned to face her distraught boyfriend, tears welling up in her orbs at the sight of him so _broken._ She rushed over to where he stood, losing herself in his arms. His face buried in her hair, pulling her tight, but with some restraint. "I'm so sorry Betty." He kept whispering, hot tears soaking her shirt.

"Shh, its ok. I'm ok." She pulled back, placing her hands on either side of his face. Rubbing her thumb over his cheek, she giggled when he flinched. A dark bruise was forming on his right eye, no doubt from Chuck.

"Are you discharged? Can you go home now?" Veronica asked from behind them, still sniffling.

Turning her head, Betty nodded.

"Want me to drive you home?" Archie asked, his arm around Veronica's middle.

"Thank you, but I'm going to go home with Jughead." A collective gasp from her friends, and a small chuckle from behind her sent Betty into a flustered haze of waving her hands around.

"To eat something. I don't want to face my mom yet." Betty finally managed to get out in a quiet voice. Jughead's arms circled around her from behind, leaning his cheek against the back of her head.

"Lets go home Juliet." His voice was above a whisper, loud enough for the two standing before them to hear.

"Yes _Elizabeth_. Lets go home." All eyes turned to the loud voice, eyes going wide. Betty pulled from Jugheads grasp, steadying herself at the dizziness that danced in her head.

"Mom?!"


	8. Chapter 8

Hiya. So I know I took a long time to write this, don't hurt me please! I was so busy with the prompts and one shot requests on Tumblr, so I got distracted. Honestly though? I feel this chapter is just a filler, but it could also be a nice finish? I can't decide. Should I keep going with this? Read, Review, tell me what you think!

I don't own anything.

* * *

All eyes were set on the older woman, who by all terms considered, was the devil. Archie and Veronica knew it. Betty knew it very well. And Jughead had only heard stories, but never had the personal experiences to back up his knowledge.

Now he wished it was all hypothetically irrational fears of meeting his girlfriends mom.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Betty's voice brought him back to reality, though it wasn't a pleasant one. She had quickly pried herself from his arms, putting a whopping 5 feet between them. Tugging his jacket closer, he just watched.

"What am I doing here?! You were in the hospital Elizabeth! Did you think they wouldn't call me?" Alice's voice echoed off the bare walls of the waiting room, piercing Jugheads ear drums. "Last time I checked, I am your mother!"

Scoffing, Betty just shook her head. "And last time I checked, _mother,_ you only cared about what others thought about you!" She took a step forward, fingers curling inward. Jughead itched to reach out, engulf her hand and soothe her worries, but this was a battle she needed to fight alone. "And I'm 18 mom. I'm practically an adult. They shouldn't have called you." Betty turned to Archie and Veronica, nodding her thanks and hugging them once more.

Then she turned to Jughead, eyes dark with anger. "We're leaving." She grabbed his hand, dragging him out.

"BETTY!" Her mother called after them, voice hard and loud.

They stalked out of the hospital, Jughead just falling into step beside her. She was still holding his hand, so he twisted it slightly to link their fingers more comfortably. She looked down, then up at him. He just smiled in response.

They didn't say anything as they made their way to the trailer, a new home for Betty. Once inside, she slumped on the old sofa and hung her head in her hands, sighing.

"Why did they call her? Now she's going to think I tried to kill myself.." Her voice was so full of desperation, it hurt Jugheads heart.

" _Technically_ , you did try. I saved you." He looked up, head high with pride. She let out a breathy laugh, opening her arms for him to come sit beside her. He sat down tentatively, removing his jacket beforehand, and smiled as Betty laid her head in his lap. He idly played her with hair, combing it with his fingers every now and then.

Within the hour Betty was asleep, sighing contently in his lap. He watched her for awhile, admiring her beauty. The honey golden hair always pulled back in a high ponytail above her head, the green eyes so full of life and love, and pink lips he was lucky enough to kiss everyday. His eyes traced down her jawline, over her neck and shoulders, falling short on her chest.

Her breathing was uneven, chest rising and falling rapidly. Panic rose within him, mind going crazy thinking of ways to calm her down without waking her. Small whimpers escape her lips as she twists and turns under him, the surefire signs of a nightmare.

Shaking her shoulder gently, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her temple. She sits up abruptly, bonking her forehead into Jughead's.

"Ow." She was rubbing the affected spot, frowning.

"Yeah, _ow_." Jughead says, teasingly. He poked her side, smiling. "You ok? It looked like you were having a nightmare." His hand was caressing her face, watching her carefully.

She bit her lip hard, looking down. "I just don't know what to do. About my mom."

Jughead gently rubbed her lower lip, frowning. "You're not alone in this, ok? I'll do anything I can to help you through this. And if she decides to kick you out? So what. You can live with me in this manor of kinkiness." He wiggled his eyebrows, eliciting a giggle from her lips. Smiling at his conquer, he puffed his chest out slightly. She smiled at him, nodding.

"So how about, we go tomorrow, after you get some more much needed rest, and talk to your mom?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her once more. He was rubbing small circles on her arm, sending tingles around her body.

"She probably doesn't like you." Betty's word were blatant, no room for argument. Jughead just sighed into her hair.

"Then you can talk to her alone, ok? I can sit outside and wait till you're done." She turned to look up at his face, him smiling down at her. "Even if it takes all night, I will be there. I promise." Placing a kiss on her forehead, she smiles back at him, snuggling closer.

Hours later, after more than enough sleep and a splurge of junkfood from Pop's, Betty and Jughead stood outside the Cooper house, undecided about entering the stronghold. Betty was staring at the building, analyzing the features intently. Everything looked the same, but inside was much different no doubt. Inside the belly of the beast was her wicked witch of the North mother, clad in green and cackling up a storm at Betty's situation. She let out a sigh, frowning slightly. Her anxiety was rising the longer she stood here, her fingers began to itch.

Jughead was watching Betty, concern for her well being overlooking any and all nerves he had of meeting her mom, not only as her former friend, but current boyfriend. He was taking in the emotions written on her face, the small frown on her pink lips, the slight crease between her brows. He wanted to soothe her internal issues, help smooth out the bumps, but this bump was something she had to deal with one her own. Jughead knew that, and he respected how strong she was for doing this so soon. Had it been him and his dad, he'd be hiding in some beat up old drive in for months before stepping foot in FP's house.

Slight movement caught his eye as he noticed Betty's fingers curling inward, poised for pain. He reached out tentatively, breaking her concentration on the house ahead. Looking at him confused, he just brought her hand up to his lips, laying a long, delicate kiss on the back of it. She smiled at him, and leaned in to kiss his forehead.

"How cute. You brought the snake too."

Betty stopped in her tracks, blood rushing from her face instantly. She pulled from his grasp, setting a healthy few inches between them, as she looked up at her mother.

The older woman stood tall, poised and mature, at the top of the steps to the Cooper residence. A seemingly cheerful and normal background for such a wicked woman. Alice raised her eyebrow, daring Betty to disagree with her statement, to break the stalemate, to apologize and coming running home. But Betty just watched, waiting. A delicate game of chess, push and pull of dominance.

Finally, Betty sighed. "Mom, this is Jughead Jones. My friend." Jughead's chest ached painfully at the title, trying to keep his face impassive. Alice just stared.

"Friends have a much different meaning nowadays than when I was your age, that's for sure." Alice said pointedly, crossing her arms. "Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to come inside? This is still your home, right?" It wasn't really a question, but Betty nodded anyway. Shooting a look at Jughead, he just nodded, jutting his thumb to the curb.

"I'll be waiting." She smiled gratefully, guilt coursing through her from the lack of telling the truth. She hastily approached the steps, looking over her shoulder once more, watching Jughead look down and sit in the grass. Sighing, she made her way into the house, looking around.

"Where's Polly and Dad?" She couldn't help but ask, but the way her mothers face twisted in pain made it evident she didn't want to delve into details. So she bit her tongue, and sat down on the couch. "So uh, where sho-"

"Look, I'm only going to say this once Elizabeth. You need to come home. And you need to stop talking to that boy." Alice nodded her head towards the front door, signaling the boy sitting in the grass outdoors. She made a face, sipping her tea. "You shouldn't associate yourself with those of the _Southside_." Her tone was dipped with so much venom, Betty could taste it in the air.

Scoffing, Betty clenched her fists, knuckles turning white. "You can't tell me what to do."

Alice looked surprised, mouth dropping open at Betty's words. "I can and you will listen. I am your mother!"

Betty let out a beathy laugh, standing. "You may be my mother, but that doesn't mean you can control my life to be the one you wished you lived!" Her mother gaped, taken aback, but quickly recovered.

"If you don't want to abide by my rules, you can't live under my roof!"

Hot tears spilled down Betty's cheeks. "I'll gladly take living somewhere else than with you." She spat out, gritting her teeth.

"Is that so? And who's gonna want you huh? You're depressed, you can't even keep yourself sane for more than a day!" Alice threw a small bottle at Betty. She caught it easily, looking down at the meds she left here. "You forgot your pills." Her mother stalked off, leaving Betty to stare at the bottle, shame filling her core. Hanging her head, she trudged upstairs, packed a few more clothes, and head back outside.

Slamming the front door on her way out, she let anger become more prominent. Leaping down the steps, she didn't wait for Jughead to catch up, she just took off in the direction of Sweetwater River, her safe spot in the chaos. She barely registered Jughead coming to walk beside her, just welcomed the comforting presence in peace.

They walked for an hour, no words spoken, no meaningful conversations, or heartbreaking reveals. He respected her need for quiet, for a calm before the storm. She respected his desire to keep her safe, sane, _alive_.

Alive.

Was she heading to the river to do what brought them together again in the first place?

She didn't know.

As they neared the riverbed, the location of her worst night ever, she huffed out an exaggerated sigh, watching Jughead carefully. He was looking around, avoiding her eye contact, no doubt thinking she still didn't want to talk. Silently, she stepped forward. Placing a hand on his cheek, she turned his face towards hers, laughing outright at his stubbornness to abide.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked, smile on her lips. He glanced at her sideways, a hurt expression on his face. Her smile dropped. "I'm sorr-"

His lips captured hers, cutting off her words.

She closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss. His arm wrapped around her back, pulling her close, the other on her face, rubbing away the tears she didn't realize were falling. They stayed like this for what awhile, only pulling apart for deep breaths. Finally pulling apart, Jughead lay his forehead on hers, eyes closed, chest rising and falling quickly. He bit his lip, no doubt wanting to ask her something. She just nodded, pulling away and sitting down.

He sat in front of her, crossing his legs gracefully. "What happened?"

"Too much." She just shook her head, sighing. "Think your dad would mind if I crashed with you guys for a while?" She pointed to her bag, then back at Jughead sheepishly.

He just smiled. "Nah he won't mind. In fact, I think my dad'll love you. Like I do."

She looked up at him, dumbfound. She opened her mouth to say something, anything. But he just laughed at her flustered face, kissing her nose lightly.

"I love you. Betty Cooper."

She smiled once more, leaning in to capture his lips.

"Jughead Jones. I love you."


	9. Chapter 9

I'm sorry it took awhile to update! I've had a string of job interviews, but alas I got the job. And this cometh with the fluff! Enjoy.

I don't own anything!

* * *

"Dad, this is Betty."

FP Jones stood in the small kitchen of his trailer, bottle in hand, half a cigarette hanging haphazardly from his mouth, leather jacket hanging loosely around his shoulders. Recognition crossed his face, but he covered it quickly with a grin. Putting the bottle down, he stuck his hand out. Betty shook it gently, a small smile on her lips.

"It's a Mini Cooper!" FP laughed, eyes bright. Betty's face reddened, looking down.

Her voice was quiet when she asked, "How did you know my last name?"

He laughed again, "I used to kick it with your mom, back in the day." He winked.

Betty opened her mouth to respond, but Jughead's hand on her back silenced her. "Dad, uh. Can Betty stay with us for a little while?" Jughead asked sheepishly, hand rubbing the back of his head. His father just blinked, looking between the two.

"Any friend of Jughead's is a friend of mine." FP stated, smiling, before heading to the couch and plopping down. "You can take the bedroom, Jug and I can crash out here."

Jughead went pale, looking between his dad and Betty. She just smiled, shrugging. "Um, dad. I'll just crash in the room with Betty." His face was an array of red, creeping to the back of his neck. Betty choked on a laugh, failing to keep herself composed. FP's face lit up with realization, nodding his approval.

"You and Mini Cooper have fun then." FP said quietly as they head for the bedroom.

Closing the door, Jughead leaned against it and sighed. His face was still red, hand messing up his hair. He looked up at Betty, embarrassment coursing through him. She just smiles at him, leaning forward, pulling his hand to her side as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Laying her head on his chest, he rubs her back lightly.

They pull away after a few minutes, Betty shivering from the sudden cold. Jughead just smiles at her, pulling her to the bed. Sitting down, he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her center, placing the side of his face on her chest, hugging her. "I'm sorry about your mom." His voice was muffled, talking into her breasts, but she just smiled, idly playing with hair messy hair.

"It's not your fault, no reason to apologize Jug." He squeezed a little harder, then let go. "Lets go to bed, ok?" She smiled down at him as he nodded, shedding her clothes and crawling up to the pillow. He just stared at her legs, eyes hungry. Licking his lips, he runs his fingers lightly over her exposed skin, a shiver ran down her spine.

"You didn't say we had to sleep." His voice was husky, a smug smile on his lips as he continued trailing his fingers up her legs.

"I suppose you're right." Betty just laughed, sitting up quickly to capture his lips with hers.

* * *

The week went by quickly, Betty's concussion slowly getting better. She still dealt with headaches, slight nausea from time to time, and dizzy spouts – but nothing she had a hard time handling. What she couldn't process, was the overbearing protectiveness of Veronica and Archie at school. The glares to anyone and everyone who even breathed next to Betty in the halls or cafeteria, walking ahead of her in the halls, Archie taking up the rear. They were acting like a squad of bodyguards, in position and ready to pounce on anyone who was a threat.

The threat.

Chuck Clayton.

Chuck hadn't been at school since the fight in the courtyard. Rumors were he got suspended, but no one could prove the theory. Most said it was because of the black eye 'some serpent gave him.' Betty just smirked when she heard that one.

Also among the list of things she couldn't really handle was the overbearing clingyness of Jughead at home. As soon as she stepped foot off school grounds the first day back, Jughead was there. His dads pickup truck behind, him leaning against it nonchalantly, a smug smile on his lips at her surprise. He strolled up, placed a long sloppy kiss on her lips, and glared at anyone walking by. Pulling his jacket off, he wrapped it around her shoulders, and opened the door to the vehicle.

Since the first day back though, the four of them have been at Pops everyday till late, laughing and reminiscing – from the outside looking in, they seemed like 4 normal teenage friends. Inseparable, invulnerable, perfect. Archie and Jughead falling back into the same aggressive humor, Jughead's sardonic sarcasm to Archie's blatant punchlines, always cheesy and equally terrible. Betty would laugh till her sides hurt, Veronica red in the face and wheezing. They were in a bubble, impossible to penetrate from the outside.

Until the following Friday. 5 full days of Betty being back at school, vitally protected by Ronnie and Archie at school, woefully nursed back to health at home at the hands of her boyfriend. Things had seemed, good, right. _Perfect._

But Betty always hated the word perfect.

As the four horsemen entered the diner, the familiar bell signaling their arrival, they halted in their tracks. An unusually large group was currently seated in their regular booth.

Aggressive towards one another, laughing far too loud, the group didn't even notice Betty and CO staring.

Until the devil himself turned around, wicked smile on his lips.

"Betty." Chuck's voice sent angry waves down Betty's spine, she stiffened at the sound. "Finally coming to the _dark_ side?" He winked at her. Another wave of shudders went down her body as Jughead leaned forward, growling.

She put her hand out, silencing his protests. "I would never step foot in that realm, let alone even think about it." Betty spat out, Veronica laughing.

Chuck's eyes brightened, "That isn't what you said before."

Jughead stiffened behind her, closing his mouth. Archie sucked in a breath, while Veronica spared a glance sideways. Ignoring the disbelief of her friends, Betty held her head high. "I don't know what delusion you had, _Chuck_ , but nothing happened between you and I. _Ever._ " Betty clenched her fists hard, blood welling up in her palms instantly.

Chuck laughed, but it wasn't lively. It was almost like the sound nails made scratching over a blackboard – rough, ear splitting, headache inducing. His group was silent when his laughter died down, his eyes landing on the blonde in front of him. "Oh I've had my taste of little Miss Cooper. And I want more."

"You'll have to go through me then!" Veronica's voice chimed in, bold and angry. The raven haired heiress stepped forward, crossing her arms tightly.

"And me!" Archie added, coming to stand in line with Veronica, hands on his hips.

"You'll never make it through me, but you can sure as hell try." Jughead's voice followed as he stepped ahead of them all, murderous glint sparking in his eyes.

Chuck's smile wavered, but he stood tall. Crossing his arms, the muscles in his biceps flex hard, eyes shining. He took a large step forward, coming face to face with Jughead. It would've been eye to eye, had Jughead been a few inches taller, but Jughead stayed fierce. Chuck's unholy laugh resonated once more.

Then a new set of voices broke through.

"You'll also have to go through us."

All heads turned, eyes going wide with shock, as they land on the location of the voice. In the doorway of the diner, albeit slightly disheveled, stood FP Jones, a furious group of Serpents in the backdrop. A wicked glint shone in FP's eye as he surveyed the standoff, grinning when he spots Betty's green eyes watching him intently. Chuck let out a breathy laugh, backing up a few steps to the safety of his posse. FP stepped forward, coming to stand beside Betty, throwing an arm over her shoulders nonchalantly.

"This here Cooper is a full fledge Serpent Wife. With all the protection from the _entire_ Southside behind her." FP grinned again, throwing his other arm over Jughead, who stepped back to stand in line with his father. "And if you ever even _think_ – if you glorified monkeys even have that function – of touching a hair on this here blondey," His eyes darkened, grin turning into a snarl, "will be in for one helluva party."

Chuck faltered, fear slicing across his face before he quickly covered it with anger. He let out a low growl, spitting out worthless comebacks and empty threats. FP just laughed again, snapping his finger. A brutish serpent from behind stepped forward, grunting, as he reached a hand out to Chuck. Chuck quickly dodged out of the grasp, growling again as he took off out the back door of the diner, company in tow.

Jughead turned to his dad as they retreated from the diner as well, Pop finally giving them the boot for rough housing customers – again. "How did you know we were here?" Jughead's question was cold, laced with anger from the encounter.

FP just sighed, "Jug, you've been coming here since you could walk. And I saw you guys a few times while I passed by this week." He paused, rubbing a hand over his mouth. "You looked happy." Jughead blanked, then nodded. "I haven't seen you this happy since you spent all your time at the Andrews house, coming home to tell your ma about Betty, Archie and yours' adventures when you were younger. Wish I could've met them before you guys drifted apart." Jughead's eyes glazed over, blinking hard he just set his mouth in a thin line.

"They drifted from me. I was a mess after mom left." A stray tear escaped his blue eyes as he glanced over his shoulder at Betty, a few feet away in the arms of Veronica. "I should've brought them to meet you, mom and Jellybean, but I just didn't know how." He turned back to his dad, looking down sorrowfully. FP placed a hand on his shoulder, patting gently.

"The past is the past Jug, what matters if I finally got to meet them." FP smiled as Jughead lifted his head, surprise crossing his features. "And I must say. I'm glad you finally made a move on Betty." He winked, eliciting a groan from his son, face reddening. "She's really good for you son, better than anyone. Ever."

Jughead nodded, glancing over his shoulder again. Betty caught his eyes, smiling up at him from where she stood. He smiled back, heart racing.

FP patted his shoulder again, bringing his attention back. "If you ever need my help, or if she does -" He jerks his chin in the direction of Betty, "-just let me know, and I'll be there." He paused for a second before adding, "your _family_ will be there to help. I promise."


	10. Chapter 10

It's been a few days, I know I suck. Please don't hate me! This is angsty, implications of assault and self harm heavy in this chapter. Don't read if you are easily triggered or uncomfortable reading about it! I'm setting up for 2 more chapters. So enjoy, I hope.

I don't own anything.

* * *

"Elizabeth! Breakfast is ready!"

Betty sighed as she stood from her bed. It's been a few weeks since she came back home, due wholeheartedly to Jughead insisting she talk things out with her mom. Orignially, their "talks" were consisted of Betty apologizing, and her mother pointing out Betty's wrongdoings. Then they progressed, and Betty finally heard an apology form on her mothers stern lips, teetering her resolve to come back to the Cooper residence. And here she was, back to pink and powdered and _perfect_. Her mother didn't take long before she started calculating what she was eating, or how long she should exercise. At first Betty didn't mind, rather enjoyed having her mom around again, until she made it clear Jughead wasn't allowed in the house.

Ever.

She had fought hard, and still stood tall against the notion, but Alice Cooper was nothing if not stubborn.

So because of the new rules, and falling back into her busy schedule, Betty hasn't seen much of her leather clad lover over the past few weeks, aside from their stops at Pops – which used to be daily, now turned weekly, if that. Jughead didn't own a cell anymore either, so the only way she could properly talk to him was if he came to pick her up – which was few and far between these days – or she went to him. And she wasn't stepping foot in Southside High again.

So here she sat, back straight and hand poised above the plate of organic eggs, tiny portion of hash browns, and a banana.

"No carbs today Elizabeth, you have cheerleading practice." Her mother's harsh voice rang out, piercing her ears as she forced a smile.

"Yes mother." Betty finished her food quickly, standing as she bids farewell and heads out the door to school. Winter was in full swing now, an ivory blanket covered the trees and ground. Snow crunched soundly under Betty's feet as she walked, hugging her jacket a little closer around her to shield from the harsh wind soaring past. Quickly approaching the school, Betty head inside and let out a shaky breath.

"Even in pants those legs are _fine_."

She startled at the voice, turning on her heel to the location. Chuck stood a few feet away, eyes scanning her body with a hunger she'd seen in only Jughead's eyes. Seeing in his was unnatural, it made her feel dirty. A shudder coursed through as she turned, walking away. His chuckle echoed behind her, tickling the back of her neck as the hair stood straight up.

School went by quickly, her mind consistently wandering to her ravenhaired boyfriend, always wondering what he was doing, or if she crossed his mind. After she had told him her mother's rule for the house, he lashed out, not directly at her, but she definitely felt the weight of it. It was after that mild argument that she slowly started pulling away. Making less of an effort to go see him at home, or show up at Southside high after what happened.

 _Not like he cares though, right Betts?_ The darkness in her mind had gained a healthy voice, constantly badgering her about how much she eats, or always voicing her less than ideal thoughts about why her relationship with Jughead was so strained lately. _It's obvious he found someone else._

 _Someone better._

 _Someone prettier._

She shook her head, curling her fingers into fists and dug deep, reveling in the bite of her nails into the scarred skin of her palms. Sighing at the pain, she shoves her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she made her way out the doors.

"Boyfriend on the fence again Betty?" Chuck's voice rose when Betty stepped off the bottom step of the stairs. He was leaning against a pole, watching her. She just scoffed, turning to walk away. "No point running, _Betts_ , I'll get you sooner or later."

Chuck's voice resonated deep inside her, making her quicken her pace, and duck her head against the cold wind. She turned a corner and jogged lightly till she made it far enough away to catch her breath. A few minutes later, she stood up straight, sighing. Sparing a quick glance at her watch, Betty groaned.

"Shit, cheerleading practice." Looking down the way she came, Chuck appeared in her mind once more. The hungry look in his eyes, the sly smirk plastered on his lips. A shudder ran down her back, sweat forming on her forehead. Groaning again, Betty turned on her heel and head back to the school.

Chuck was gone.

But that didn't make Betty feel any better.

After practice was done, she made her way home. Glancing around constantly, body timid as she practically sprinted up her street. Every stranger to pass by caused irrational anxiety to spike deep and hard in her chest, tightening painfully around her heart. Breathing deeply, she walked up the road, just a few houses from hers and Archie's, when she saw him.

Chuck was standing by a tree, just past her house up the road. He was watching her, smiling that sickening smirk once again.

But then he was gone.

Betty blinked hard, sucking in a breath. Rubbing her eyes, she looking around hectically, but coming up with nothing.

Chuck was gone.

"What're yo-"

"Holy shit!" Betty nearly jumped, hand clutching her chest as her heart pounded painfully against her ribcage. Turning, she looks up. "Archie?"

Archie stood a few feet away, eyeing her cautiously. "Hey Betty. Uh, you ok?"

She nodded. Quickly looking around once more, she turned to face him fully, smiling. "I'm fine."

Archie reached a hand out, resting in on her shoulder as she scanned their surroundings again. The unfamiliar hand made Betty flinch, gasping suddenly, she flung herself away from the red head.

"Betty! Are you ok?" She looked up, pain curling around her heart at the hurt expression plastered on his pale features. She nodded again, apologized, and quickly ran off to her house.

Shutting the door, Betty leaned against it and sighed. Before her mother could say a word, Betty booked it up the stairs, and shut the door to her room with a bang. Launching herself onto the pillow, she let a few tears flow at her overwhelmingly stressful day. Sighing, she sat up and pulled out her diary.

Writing helped when hurting herself wasn't an option.

So she wrote.

* * *

"Hey Jug, I think something's wrong with Betty."

Jughead looked up instantly, the smile that was dancing on his lips disintegrated. "What do you mean?" Jughead questioned his red haired companion, sitting up straighter in the booth. "Is she ok?"

Archie blanked, but nodded. "I think so." Jughead visibly sighed, slumping his shoulders slightly. "But I don't know, something just seems … _off_." Archie took a sip of his milkshake, arm over the back of the booth behind Veronica.

"I noticed too," Veronica chimed in, face sullen. "She just doesn't smile much these days. I asked her to come today, but she said she had cheer practice." She slumped a little closer to Archie, sighing.

Jughead knew Betty was a cheerleader, so the insinuation that she was practicing wasn't completely impractical. "But she's a vixen, is she not? Wouldn't it make sense that she had practice?" Jughead munched on a fry, staring at his friends.

Veronica nodded. "But Jughead, _I'm_ a vixen too. Shouldn't I have practice as well?"

"Huh" Jughead pondered, curiosity spiking. They had a few more days left till Winter Break was here. He hadn't made much plans with Betty over the holidays because he assumed it was strictly Alice Cooper time. "Well, I'll try to talk to her. See if I can figure out what's wrong."

Veronica smiled, thanking him. Archie just stayed impassive, staring at something out the window. Jughead turned his head, craning to see what Archie was looking at.

Or _who_.

Chuck stood in the parking lot, leaning against a car too cool to be his, a random chick they didn't know was hanging on his arm. He was smirking at Archie, and winked at Jughead when he noticed the raven haired boy watching him. Scoffing, Jughead leaned back against the booth, sighing.

* * *

A few more days passed, Betty in a constant state of anxious. She went to school, did her work, and went straight home. Even on the days she had winter practice in the gym – most of which were shared with the football players doing indoor exercises – she feigned sickness and retreated to the safety of her bedroom.

The four walls quickly became a haven, finding solace in the quiet and dull ache on her palms from her abuse and constant writing. Her scarred hands were less than ideal, far too pained to do her normal stunts for cheerleading. Because of the cooled temperature though, she found more resolve in a few different types of stress relief via pain on her forearms – one day she tried burning a metal pin and applying it to her skin, but quickly hated how raw it felt hours later. Another day she tried using an eraser till the area was red, raw and heated. But the marks it left were far too noticeable, and left dark scarring afterwards. So she reverted back to her basic tactics, her palms were the easiest to hide as well.

Her eating habits had plummeted as well, she could visibly see her hip bones when she changed, and her face looked slightly more hollow. But her mother approved, pointing out the added pros of her new skinny figure.

It was Thursday now, one more full day of school before a half day and then they're off for 2 weeks. Betty couldn't wait. A full 2 weeks of not going out, always looking over her shoulder in case _he_ was watching her.

Chuck was always around, whether it was down the hall when she was walking to class, or around a corner when she was heading home. Always smiling down at her, sometimes saying something vulgar and walking away. Each day she saw him around, following her, he got closer. It started with him being almost a full block away, or on the complete opposite side of the hall, but today he was at her locker, on the other side of the doors she came in with, and now he was standing at her house.

Panic rose in her chest as she saw him, quickly turning on her heel to retreat and find a safe place to wait him out. But a hand came out, clasping around her arm and spinning her to face him. Pain soared through her arm at the assault, but she clamped her mouth shut and just backed up a step.

"My Betty. Where have you been?" His voice was edged with a playful tone, but his eyes were far too dark to be just playing. Betty didn't open her mouth to respond, just bit down on her tongue hard and looked away. Chuck tugged hard on her arm, a small whimper escaped her throat at his rough movements. "How about this, since you don't want to answer my question." He pushed his other hand to her face, squeezing her cheeks as he leaned down and captured her lips with his in a sloppy, forced kiss.

Betty gasped, flailing her arms around as he held her tight. Pulling away slightly, with a wicked grin on his lips, Chuck tugged her to the car she didn't notice was parked in her driveway. "C'mon Betts." He pulled her hard till she stood in front of him, opening the door and shoved her roughly into the backseat.

"Please Chuck.. Don't do this." Her voice was so small, her whole body shaking. His laugh echoed through the interior of the vehicle as he got in beside her, quickly coming to lean over her frail stature.

"I told you Betty. I'll have what I want." His eyes had a wicked glint as he pulled her jacket off, and reached for the button on her jeans. She kicked against his hands, pushing further against the other door, the handle biting into her back. He laughed once more, reaching a giant hand to capture her ankle, then the other, in one palm. Squeezing hard, she let out a yelp of pain as he pulled her legs down towards him. Reaching for her buttons again, she flailed her arms out but with no prevail, due wholeheartedly to the excessive size difference in their bodies.

His hands were wrapped around her body, so foreign and unwanted. She tried to fight back, tried to scream and cry, or reach for her phone. She fought till every bit of her strength was gone. Chuck's determination was solid though, always laughing at her fighting back, his able body always getting the better of her underfed one.

His body was so alien to hers, igniting pain or disgust where his skin touched hers. Not long after her last scream, throat raw and scratchy from the constant hollering, she felt him against her, _inside_ her. Her throat filled with vomit as her body began rocking, her mind filling with darkness at his lingering words and actions. She just lay there, waiting till the end.

Then it was over.

Chuck pushed her out of his car quickly after he dressed, speeding off without even muttering a word. Betty stood there in just a shirt and shoes, clutching her jacket and pants tight in her arms. A tear escaped her burning eyes as she looked around.

No one was around.

Sprinting inside, Betty slammed the front door, too disdain to lock it, as she hurried upstairs. She threw her soiled clothing on the floor as she raked her fingers through her tangled locks, screaming into the abyss. She pulled a single hand away and slammed it back against the side of her skull, letting out another scream. Tears flowed freely as she paced the room. She hurried over to the far wall, leaning against it and sliding down. She slammed her head back hard against the wood, black dots played in her vision at the abuse. She did it again, feeling lightheaded from the trauma.

Then she stood, shedding her shirt quickly and head for the bathroom. Turning on the tap, Betty watched the tub fill slowly, crystal clear resolve on her face. Her hands stopped shaking as she head back to her room, sifted through a few drawers until she found her treasure. Back in the bathroom, she pulled off the rest of her clothes and gingerly stepped into the tub, hand clutching the metal hard.

Leaning her head back, she let out a breathy sigh. Looking down at her exposed body, she spotted a dark bruise on her thigh, roughly the size of a hand.

 _His hand_.

She bit down the bile rising in her throat again as she assessed the rest of her limbs. Several more bruises littered her features, more probably unaccounted for on her back and face. Biting her lip as more tears spilled out, Betty let out a breathy sigh and pulled her right arm upward.

With shaky hands, she poised the razor blade at the base of her wrist, pushed down hard, and glided it down a few inches. Betty gasped as the blood pooled instantly, spewing quickly out of the open wound on her wrist. With her even shakier hand, she switched sides, this one not going down as far due to lack of energy and blood loss. She dropped her arms below the surface of the water, darkness flirting with her vision as she slowly started closing her eyes.

In the distance she heard a bang, then a voice. But her mind was too clouded to tell who it was. Her eyes fluttered closed as the door burst open.

"BETTY!"

* * *

Jughead approached the Cooper Residence tensely, eyeing the window to the foyer closely, looking for any signs of Alice Cooper within. He knew the house rule that was put in place not long after Betty came back to live here – No Jughead in the house, at all times. At first he'd been hurt, starting an argument with Betty over the whole ordeal, even though he knew it wasn't her fault. But still, he felt targeted, and lashed out.

He had to admit though, their relationship was strained the past few weeks. He stopped coming to pick her up from school, always finding an excuse within the Serpents as to why he wasn't there.

But what Archie said the other day at Pops really rubbed him the wrong way. So he finally fought his inner demons over whether he should come see her at home, but his initial thought seeing the house again was that no one was actually home.

The living room light behind the curtain was on, but the main door was closed. Jughead sighed, taking ginger steps upward till he came face to wood with the door. He raised his hand to knock when a sound from within echoed.

A scream.

"Betty." He gasped, knocking on the door quickly. His earlier internal argument falling to the back burner of his mind. No one answered as he continued knocking, his knuckles turning red from the abuse.

Another scream echoed through the building, panic rose within his chest. He reached for the doorknob, but stopped short.

 _Am I really going to waltz into the realm of Alice Cooper?_ He thought to himself, pulling his hand back and leaning back on his heels. Letting out a loud sigh, Jughead fought internally, arguing with himself over what to do.

A few minutes passed an no 3rd scream came through. Panic began to rise in his chest again as he finally jumped over his own resolve and grasped the doorknob, surprised when it opened without a hitch. Stepping into the house gingerly, he looked around. No one was in the living room, or from the looks of it, in the kitchen either. Betty's room was upstairs, so Jughead took the steps two by two until he reached the top, and stopped dead.

Clothes lay littered on the floor, he assumed it was Betty's bedroom door that was thrown open. He could hear water running behind a closed door, but no ideas as to why played in his mind. Jughead approached the room hesitantly, looking around.

"Betty?" His voice called out, small in comparison to his normal tone. She wasn't in the room, but the entire area was a mess. Drawers thrown open, clothes lying everywhere. A hasty note written on her desk. As he took a step forward, his heart noticeably lurched forward as he spun on his heel and head for the door where the running water noise was coming from.

The knob turned quickly and he flung it open, halting in his tracks.

A few feet away, naked, bruised, and bloody in a tub of crimson water, was Betty Cooper – his girlfriend.

"BETTY!"


	11. Chapter 11

So this is _*technically*_ the last chapter. But I will be writing an epilogue, to sorta complete the whole ordeal. I promise! Hope you enjoy. This is also, 4200 words, so like. Longest chapter yet. Enjoy!

I don't own anything!

* * *

"How long has he been here?"

"Since she was brought in. So almost 3 straight days?" FP's voice echoed through the small hallway, bouncing off the bleached walls effortlessly. Archie's face fell, staring through the small window to the hospital room.

"Is she at least ok?" Archie asked, burrowing his hands deeper in his pockets.

FP shrugged. "Her body didn't reject the blood transfusion, but that's all they're telling us. Now we wait." FP opened the door, patting the two serpents standing on either side of it on their shoulder before heading into the room.

"For what?" Archie's hand shot out, stopping FP in his tracks.

FP just sighed, glancing over his shoulder. "Now we wait to see if she wants to live or not." He closed the door behind him as he entered.

* * *

Jughead awoke, stiff and sore from the unnatural position he fell asleep in late lastnight. Sitting upright, he rubbed his eyes and stretched, looking around. His dad, FP, sat on the tiny couch in the corner, book in hand and eyes glued to the pages. Groaning, Jughead turned his eyes to the girl asleep in the bed before him.

Betty.

She lay unconscious – a coma induced from major blood loss the doctors had mentioned – like she's just asleep and ready to wake at any time. But it's been 3 days. Her face was ghastly, cheek bones evident under her stretched skin. Her fair complexion even paler against the harsh lighting and lack of sun. Rough bandages covered the majority of her forearms, no longer stained with blood after the first night.

That night.

Every time he closed his eyes, the scene replayed in his mind.

Arriving at her house. Walking inside. Heading upstairs. Opening the door to the bathroom and having his world break apart at the seams. Seeing Betty laying there, in the tub full of blood, so pale and eyes closed. His heart had broken, over and over. He rushed to her side, calling for help with no restraint. Pulling the plug, Jughead had wrapped Betty with a towel, applying constant pressure to her wounds and rocking back and forth. Tears flowed freely as he waited the solemn 5 minutes till the paramedics arrived, the time felt like it was moving backwards. They took her then, and didn't tell him anything.

They had arrived at the hospital within 30 minutes, a distraught Jughead followed closely by FP, Archie and Veronica. Alice was already there, sobbing uncontrollably. FP head over, comforting a sullen mother and former friend. Jughead had tried to get in to see Betty, but the doctors and nurses strictly forbid the idea – only family allowed.

So the trio waited. Taking shifts between falling asleep and waiting for more news. Veronica was asleep in Archie's arms when a doctor came out, enlisting information about an _Elizabeth Cooper_ to family and friends. The blood transfusion was successful, but for unknown reasoning, Betty had slipped into a coma – they had assumed blatantly that it was due to blood loss, but no proof. But Betty was moved to a secure room out of the I.C.U and they could go see her.

Jughead had sprinted to the room, falling to his knees at her side when he came close. Tears spilled down his face as he whispered things to Betty. Alice had come to sit on the other side, clutching her daughters other hand. FP, Archie and Veronica took turns talking to her, each letting a few tears fall freely at the sight of their friend in such a state.

A few long hours later, Archie's dad had come to pick him and Veronica up, insisting they rest up at home and come back the following day. Fred tried to coax Jughead into the same plan, but his resolve was steel. FP had left soon after, driving Alice home. Then Jughead was alone with his unconscious, half dead girlfriend, and the weight of the whole situation broke him as he sobbed openly, for hours.

The next few days went by slowly, the doctors ran more tests. One that involved total privacy. Alice later mentioned the results should be back in a few days, so they waited.

Which was what Jughead was doing right now.

Waiting.

"Hey, you should go grab something to eat Jug." FP's voice brought him back to reality. He blinked, staring at his father. He just nods, standing.

Commotion from just outside the hospital room door pulled his attention, Jughead watched curiously. FP sighed, heading for door. As he neared it, the door burst open, an angry Alice storming in, a timid doctor trekking behing. Tears were streaming down her face as she pushed past FP and came toe to toe with Jughead, a finger pointed at his sternum.

"It was you! You did this to my baby!" Alice's voice rang out, desperate and shaky. She jabbed her finger into his chest as his jaw went slack.

"Now listen here Allie, I know my son." FP pulled her back a few feet by the arm. "He wasn't the cause of any of this!" Jughead rarely heard FP yell anymore, let alone raise his voice to a woman. But his fathers face was ashen, eyes deadly.

"Then explain to me, _Fo_ _r_ _sythe_ , why Betty's rape test came back positive!" Alice yelled out, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

Jughead paled, taking a step back like he'd been hit. "What do you mean?" His voice was a mere whisper, but the doctor piped up instantly.

"When Elizabeth was brought in, she had a few, _internal_ bruises along with the outer ones, so we asked Ms. Cooper if we could run the test, and it came back positive." The doctors' steady voice washed over the 3 distraught few in the room, tension – so thick you could practically see it – hung in the air.

FP blanked, hands dropping to his sides as he looked up, eyes pleading with his son. "Jug.. Do you know what she's talking about?"

Panic was filling Jughead's chest as he stared back. His throat was closing, constricting any words from escaping. Backing up further till he hit the wall, he dropped down to his knees, head falling into his hands. His whole body was shaking as the realization drove through him.

The bruises he'd seen when he took her out of the tub.

The speeding car as he was walking up her street.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BABY!" Alice screamed out, throwing her purse at Jughead's crumbled form.

Anger coursed through his being, standing abruptly. He caught her purse and eyed her carefully. She was shaking with sobs, still pointing at him. His voice was low when he spoke, "I didn't do anything to Betty." He placed Alice's purse gently on the table beside Betty's bed. "But I'm going to find out who did." Jughead stalked out of the room, only sparing a glance at his father before disappearing past the pale door.

An hour later Jughead stood outside the Andrews' residence, unsure of how to proceed. Hastily approaching the front door, his knuckles rapping against the dark wood. A few moments later Fred appeared, face impassive. "Hey Jughead. How's Betty?" Fred stepped to the side, allowing Jughead access to the house. He took a ginger step forward, looking around cautiously.

"She's ok. No changes." Jughead dug his hands deep into his pockets, rocking on his heels. "Wheres Archie?"

Fred sighed, closing the door. "He just took off to Pops with Veronica."

Jughead turned on his heel, throwing a quick thanks to Fred as he took off down the road. As he arrived at the oh-so-familar diner, the bell dinging as he entered, anxiety rose high in his heart as he spotted the couple a few booths away. They were cuddled against one another, chatting quietly, faces ashen in the neon lighting. Jughead sighed, approaching them as he sat wordlessly, startling them.

"How is she?" Veronica jumped the gun, leaning forward, hands flat on the table.

"She's still unconscious." It was all he could say without spilling the truth. Archie opened his mouth but Veronica quickly cut him off.

"So why aren't you with her then?" It wasn't meant to hurt him, that he knew. She's just worried for Betty, so was Archie. He let the comment slide, and leaned back awkwardly, failing to make his stature casual.

"I'll go back soon, I was just heading home to take a shower and eat something, then head back." Jughead leaned forward, forearms against the flat table. "Hey uh, Archie?" The red head nodded, waiting for Jugheads question. "Do you happen to know where I can run plates?"

Archie's face lit up in surprise, then realization at what his friend was asking him. "You mean like, plates on a car?" Archie whisper shouted, leaning close to jughead. "How the hell would I know that?" Jughead just shrugged, leaning back. "Dude, you're the Serpent! Don't you guys do _stuff_ like that?!" Aggravation kicked in at the insinuation of what the gang does and doesn't do. Jughead bit his tongue, but let out a soft growl.

" _No_. They do not." Jughead stood, heading for the door.

"Jughead!" Veronica's voice pulled his attention, turning his head as he opened the door. "Call me right away when she wakes up, alright?" Jughead just nodded, shutting the door behind him.

A few hours later, Jughead appeared back at the hospital, sullen and mopey. He hadn't found any clues about the car he'd seen, let alone running the plates to see who owned it. When his frustration kicked in hard, he sighed and made his way home, taking a quick shower and eating, then heading right back to Betty. As he stepped out of the elevator, he noticed two deputies stationed outside the door to Betty's room. Quickening his pace, he sprinted in and halted in his tracks.

Alice was standing by the window – face red and puffy from crying – talking to Sheriff Keller. Keller was nodding alone as Alice no doubt retold the same story, probably for the third time. Scanning the room more, Jughead noticed his father sitting on the small couch in the corner, head in his hands and leg bouncing sporadically. Jughead approached hesitantly, placing a hand on his fathers sunken shoulder. FP looks up, a sad smile etched across his jaw.

"Hey dad, why's Keller here?" Jughead jutted his jaw towards the sheriff, sitting down beside his father.

"I'm here to ask you to come down to the station Jughead." Sheriff Keller's voice steady, standing before Jughead and his dad. Jughead glanced at his dad, but FP just looked down and put his head back in his hands.

"What for?" Jughead said, standing. He spared a glance at Alice, she had her back to him as she looked out the window.

"Just need to ask you a few questions is all. Won't take long." It was more of a statement than question, and Jughead knew better than to resist, so he just nodded slightly and head for the door.

30 or so minutes later Jughead was seated in a small room. The desk in front of him was plain white, and the small metal chair he sat on was beginning to hurt his butt. Shifting uncomfortably, Jughead just sighs. 10 minutes of sitting here, wondering what in all hell this was about. Maybe questions about why Betty did what she did? Maybe her mom is pressing charges on whoever drove her to this?

He was brought out of his thoughts when the door opened, Sheriff Keller stepping through, and shutting it promptly. Jughead sits up straighter, leaning forward against the small table as the Sheriff sits adjacent to him.

Clearing his throat, Sheriff Keller just watches him.

"So what is this about?" Jughead finally asks, clasping his hands together.

"I hate to beat around the bush, so I'm just going to come right out and ask ya, ok?" The older man's voice was rough, washing over Jughead in a raspy haze. Jughead just nodded. "Did you sexually assault Elizabeth Cooper?"

The air in Jughead's lungs evaporated. A pain so raw wrapped around his chest and seemed to squeeze hard, He opened his mouth to say something, _anything._ But his voice was cut off by the lump in his throat. Shaking his head, he just kept blinking. Finally, swallowing hard, Jughead spoke. "I have never laid a hand on Betty!" He slammed his palms on the table.

"Where were you on the night of December 18th, at around 6pm?" Keller asked, leaning back in his chair.

Scoffing, Jughead leaned back also. "I was at Pops, with Archie Andrews and Veronica Lodge." He crossed his arms over his chest, looking pointedly at the man across from him.

Sheriff Keller flipped a page on the clipboard that lay in front of him. Scanning the paper, he looked up at Jughead once more then back down. "It says here that you attend Southside High." Jughead nodded. "Do you happen to affiliate yourself with the-" He clears his throat, leaning slightly closer. "- _Southside Serpents_?"

Jughead deadpanned. "What does the Serpents have to do with what happened to Betty?" He was getting frustrated now. And the constant questions that had nothing to do with the incident were pissing him off.

Sheriff Keller just stared. "It's common knowledge that gang members go through a sort of, _initiation_ , when first brought into the gang. Is that correct?

"In what world does a gang initiation peg sexually assaulting one random girl from the northside of Riverdale?!" Jughead shouted, slamming his fist into the table.

"But she's not some random girl though, correct? You and Elizabeth have been dating for a bit, correct?" Jughead just nodded, keeping complete eye contact. "So she's been around a few of your Serpent buddies, right?"

"Seriously. What does this have to do with Betty!"

"Alice Cooper is very concerned that you, Jughead Jones, or one of your gang members, is the culprit who assaulted Elizabeth Cooper." Sheriff Keller states calmly, sifting through the pages on the clipboard once more.

"I have an alibi, and each and every Serpent who has met Betty has loved her, like I do. So go ahead and find a scapegoat. But the real threat is still out there, and you're wasting your time sitting here with me." Jughead huffs out, standing up. "Can I go now?" Keller nods, so Jughead storms out of the room.

Jughead pushes through the doors of the Sheriffs station as a voice calls out.

"JUGHEAD!"

He turned, seeing Archie sprinting down the hall behind him, erupting from the station soon after him. Archie was out of breath, hunched over with his hands on his knees. Jughead stood, waiting. "What?"

"Sh-" Archie's voice was raspy, coming out in little bursts. "She's up."

Confused, Jughead stared at him, waiting for more. When Archie didn't repeat what he said, Jughead repeated himself. "What?"

"She's awake man. Betty woke up!"

Before he knew it, Jughead was sprinting for his dad's truck, not looking back. Archie was on his heels, jumping in beside him. Without even putting on their seatbelts. Arriving at the hospital within 20 minutes, Jughead pulled into a spot in the parking lot haphazardly, pulled the keys out of the ignition, and took off. Not bothering with the elevator, he took the stairs two at a time as he made his way up to the third floor where Betty's room was. Nearing the door to her room, his pace slowed. As he peered into the small window, a painful tug surged through his chest.

Betty was sitting up slightly, looking very exhausted, but she still had a smile on her face. Alice was seated beside her, a stern look on her still puffy face. Veronica was on her other side, back facing the door. Betty was looking between the two, smiling and them both. Jughead's eyes traveled to the right, and he spotted his dad at the end of Betty's bed, smiling down at her.

 _How can you face her after what you did?_

 _You basically dumped her, why would she want to see you now?_

An angry voice surfaced in Jughead's mind as he leaned against the wall, placing his head in his hands. "Shut up!" It wasn't a shout, but just above a mere whisper, teeth clenched together as new rage boiled through him. He slammed a fist into the side of his skull, making black dots dance in his vision as he took a few wobbly steps.

"Hey Jug, you ok?" Archie's voice tethered him, bringing him back down to earth. He looked up into the concerning green eyes of his friend, so similar but so different than Betty's. He just shrugged, sliding down the wall until he was almost sitting. "Why aren't you going in?" Archie crouched down beside him, hand reaching for Jughead's shoulder.

"I can't face her." Was all Jughead said, before slamming another fist into his skull. '

"Hey, HEY! Jug you need to calm down." Archie reached out, pulling Jughead's hand away from his head. "Betty loves you man."

"I did this to her." A single tear escaped his burning blue eyes. Sniffling, he quickly wiped it away.

Archie paled. "What do you mean?"

Realization dawned on Jughead, before he quickly shook his hands in front of Archie. "No, no. I didn't mean I hurt her. Well, I did. But I just haven't made the effort to go see her, you know? I let this happen." He points to the hospital room, then waves his hand around in a circle, signalling the whole hospital in general. "I wasn't there to stop... _this"_ His shoulders sagged in defeat, dropping his head in his hands once more. "I can't face her."

Archie sighed, standing. "But you were there to save her life. And for that I owe you mine, so get up, get your big boy pants on, and lets go see your girlfriend who just woke up from a _coma_." He threw his hand out, waiting.

Jughead finally sighed, clasping his hand in Archie's outstretched one, and stood. Taking a deep breath, he moved to stand in front of the door when Archie pulls it open and steps inside.

Betty looks over to the newcomers, face lighting up at the sight of Archie. "Archie! Hey!" She tries to move, but winces at pain from an unknown source. "Where have you-" Her voice cut off when Archie moves to the right, out of the way of Jughead's timid frame. He looks up, catching her eyes. Green watch blue as she opens her mouth. "Juggie..." He's at her side in a second, her small hand encased in his larger ones. Tears are flowing once more as he just kneels beside her.

"I thought I lost you." Jughead whispered, idly playing with her bandages. Betty places a kiss on his forehead, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Can't get rid of me that easily." Her voice is just above a whisper as she places her hand on the side of his face. "I'm so sorry."

Jughead shakes his head. "No, no! I'm the one that's sorry. I should've been there for you. I should've stopped whoever ra-" He snapped his mouth shut, looking up at her sheepishly. Betty's eyes were downcast, her bottom lip between her teeth. "I'm sorry." He repeated, placing a chaste kiss on her hand.

Betty just sighs, looking up to the rest of the people in the room. "I'm ok. I promise."

"Betty." Alice's voice broke the silence, both Betty and Jughead look up at the older woman. "Betty, can you tell me who did this to you?" A few tears escaped, running down her face quickly.

Betty sucked in a breath, looking down at Jughead. He just nods, squeezing her hand reassuringly. Biting her lip again, Betty shifts to face everyone. "I can tell you, but I don't want to this to become a big deal, ok? No trial, no charges. No nothing." She looks pointedly at every person in the room, before her eyes land on Jughead's blue orbs. "Ok?" She asks again. A plethora of _Ok and Yes_ resonate through the tiny room as Betty takes another deep breath. "Chuck.

A collection of gasps envelop the small room, a low growl escaping the mouth of FP who was perched on the windowsill. Jughead's hand gripped painfully hard on Betty's, making her wince. He promptly let go, apologizing, before standing. She reached for his hand once more, pleading.

"Jughead, please don't."

He pulls his hand from hers, eyeing his father carefully. "I'm sorry, but this doesn't slide." FP stands up, stalking to the door.

"I'm sorry Mini Cooper, but Jug's right. He messed with the wrong Serpents." Then he's gone, Jughead right on his heels. Betty looks over at her mom, eyes pleading.

"Mom, you have to stop them!" Alice just sighs, sitting beside her.

"They're right Betty. It's a rule among them – No hurting women."

Betty just stares. "How do you know that?"

"I had a life once, before you and Polly." Was all Alice said, picking her at her nail polish idly. Scoffing, Betty just sighs.

"This won't end well."

"Not for Chuck." Her head snapped to Archie, who's mouth was curved with a sly smirk.

* * *

It was a few very long, strenuous weeks went by before Betty was finally discharged, finally getting to sleep in her own bed. She'd been back at the Cooper residence for just under two weeks. A hearty list of activities she will unable to participate in was attached to her already lengthy list of stuff she needed to be careful of.

One of things on said list was sex.

 _Sex_.

Betty hadn't thought about it at all since that night. The night when basically everything changed. She didn't remember much, small images and even smaller clips of what happened. She didn't remember getting in the tub of hurting herself, but she remembered Jughead's voice. She remembered his arms around her, ever so slightly remembered his words.

But what she remembered most was _his_ voice.

Chuck.

Chuck had been tormenting her for weeks before the incident happened, but he never had the chance to even mutter a word in her presence after what Jughead, FP, and the rest of the Serpents did to him. Granted, Betty didn't know completely what they had done to him, but she heard bits and pieces.

Turns out, the Serpents had a lawyer, albeit being rather unknown and easily bought, he still had a degree and filled the charges of sexual assault against Mr. Clayton. But they were more or less accustomed to abiding by the law, only beating the living shit out of Chuck once. Mostly at the hands of Jughead and FP, but a few more Serpents she had got to know had thrown a few punches too.

She almost felt honored.

Since the day she woke up though – when she told her small circle of trusted peoples who had attacked her – her and Jughead's relationship took an 180. His whole life was devoted to her now, and though she didn't mind the attention from him, she hated his abandoning school work for her. Also, since Alice had found out Jughead wasn't the reason Betty did what she did, she had been a lot more lenient on her rules, even allowing Jughead to spend a few nights in the house – Not in Betty's room of course, but once Alice fell asleep the beanie boy had squeaked his way into her room and broken the rule quickly. But the late night talks didn't sway him to her idea. So after countless pleas and even more stern looks, Jughead finally agreed to go back to school.

It was closing around the time for Valentines Day, and Betty could care less about what was going to happen. She hadn't made any plans with Jughead so far, so it was all still up in the air. Since she'd gone back after the holidays, countless rumors were spread once more about why she was hospitalized and such. No one found out what really happened, Archie and Veronica promptly keeping the story on the back burner. So Betty just let the words bounce off her, easily getting through the day with her two friends and then spending hours at Pops with Jughead, or at his trailer with him and FP.

"Hey Betts." An arm snaked around her waist, pulling her close. She didn't need to look up to know it was Jughead, but she did anyway, smiling.

Placing a soft kiss on his cheek, she leaned into his side. "Hey Juggie." He smiled at his name on her lips, pecking them quickly with his own before propelling them forward.

"What shall we do today?" Jughead was taking over exaggerated steps, making Betty giggle beside him.

"Hm," He turned, wrapping his arms around her waist, lifting her. She quickly wrapped her legs around his hips and draped her hands over his shoulders. "Each other?" He wiggled his eyebrows, causing another fit of giggles to escape the blonde. "Kidding. Sorta. How about we go to the Bijuu? Double feature?" He put her down, starting to walk once more, this time with his hand firmly clasped with hers.

"Sounds like a plan." Betty said, kissing his cheek once more.


	12. Chapter 12

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE! I AM DONE! jk, I'll still write more, cause I fucking love writing. But yeah, this story is COMPLETE. I hope you all enjoyed it, or at least went on the roller coaster of fuckery I envisioned you all went on! Please stay tuned for more mutlichapter fanfics!

I don't own anything!

* * *

 _Perfect_

Of all the words in the plethora of words known to man, Betty would have never thought she would use that specific word to describe her life right now. But no amount of words that came to mind could possibly describe it better than that – her life was perfect.

7 years had past since the events of her teenage years – since her life was on the edge of a blade and she danced with darkness more times than she liked to. After her trip to the hospital and court hearings, Betty finally went back to school, soon after graduating top of her class – valedictorian obviously – alongside Archie and Veronica. Jughead had graduated a year later, having to repeat due to absences and lack of good grades. But once they were all done high school, it was a collective agreement to attend college together.

So they all applied, and got accepted to NYU; Betty and Jughead with the English majors, Archie on a sports scholarship with a minor in Music, and Veronica majored in Fashion design. After long conversations with parents, tons of planning, and house-hunting, the 4 set off for the city that never sleeps (or was that Paris?) They moved into a slightly larger apartment relatively close to the campus, adorned with two huge bedrooms located on opposite sides of the space - "for privacy sake" Veronica had said, a coy smile on her lips. The large common area had 4 desks, one of which was _huge –_ Veronica clearly stating she needed a big one for her designs. Betty was solely in charge of cooking for the 4 of them, whilst Jughead and Archie were strictly on cleanup duty. Their little family was dysfunctional, but just as much home as Riverdale was.

College had been fun too, albeit insane exams. Classes were easy (at least for Betty they were), and her professors were pretty cool. They had even attended a few parties, more so a 'Veronica and Archie' scene as a designated "Power Couple" on the campus. Jughead and Betty had chosen more reserved extra curricular activities, such as poetry reading nights at the Java Jones down the road, or (big surprise) the double feature at a local theater.

But it was during their last year of college when Betty and Jughead's life had changed for the better.

Betty had found out she was pregnant.

After countless failed attempts at getting back into their rhythm, of nights spent crying over too real nightmares and reoccurring ptsd, Betty finally sought the help so the elephant in the room didn't butcher her relationship with Jughead any further. Though, even with all the struggles, Jughead never pressured Betty into anything, always letting her be the one in charge, pulling away when he felt her whole body tense, or just sit and talk her back from the edge of insanity. He had been everything she needed, and then some. So after weekly sessions with a therapist, Betty was able to expand their relationship to the peak they had it at before.

They spent nights wrapped in naked embraces, whispering sweet nothings to one another as they conquered Betty's internal battles and heeded Jughead's external desires. So little words were said during their times together, only primal sounds of need and want, battling for control throughout the night.

And thus lead to their baby.

She still remembered telling Jughead the news, every single detail.

" _Juggie, I need to tell you something." Her lip was between her teeth, eyes carefully watching the man in front of her. They were in their room at the apartment, Betty seating at the edge of their bed while Jughead was perched at the head of it, back against the wall._

 _Jughead blanked, body timid, eyes concerning. "Did I do something wrong?" His voice was raspy but soft, just above a whisper._

 _Betty shook her head furiously, placing her hands on the sides of his face. "No Juggie, you didn't do anything wrong." His smile melted her heart, hands coming to rest on her sides._

" _So what did you need to tell me?" Jughead asked._

" _I uh-" Betty bit her lip again, looking away. Jughead's hand came to rest on her jaw, bringing her eyes back to his, without saying a word he just nodded. Letting out a breath and standing from the bed, Betty finally said. "Juggie I'm pregnant."_

 _The first thing Jughead did was drop his mouth open in shock. Or awe. Or dispair. Betty didn't quite know what emotion it was, but what came after is what Betty truly loved. Jughead smiled. He smiled so large she thought his face was going to crack. A full, toothy, completely and utterly happy kind of smile. Then he kissed her. He kissed her again, and again. Peppering kisses across her face, along her neck, back to her face. His arms were around her, pulling her so close she thought he was trying to morph them together._

" _Really?!" He asked, so much excitement and joy, Betty had never seen him like this before. She just nodded, unable to find words in this wonder. "I'm going to be a dad?" He said the last word tentatively, sorta like he was testing it out. His smile a few seconds later made Betty assume he was fine with the term, and new title. He picked her up in his arms, twirling her around a few times before setting her down once more, placing another quick kiss on her smiling lips. Jughead stood quickly, launching himself off the mattress with ease._

 _Then he dropped to his knees, side of his face flush against her tummy as he smiled. "My baby," was all he said. A tear escaped Betty's eye, words cutting off from the lump in her throat. She just sniffled. Jughead looked up at her, concerned. "Whats wrong?" He was standing in front of her again, hands on either side of her face. Betty just shook her head, a few more tears streamed down her cheeks. Jughead's thumb gently wiped them away, kissing her cheeks softly. "You are so beautiful." Betty just smiled, closing her eyes. "The mother to my baby."_

 _He kissed her then, and no matter how many times Betty relives the moment, the kiss gets longer and longer. Better every time. Their lips played a devilish dance, limbs wrapping around one another in a fight for dominance. Betty finally let Jughead take control, falling into step with his movements and just living for the moment._

Betty flushed at the memory, touching her lips with her finger and smiling. The door opened to her right, Jughead appearing from the threshold.

"Hey Juggie." Betty said, smiling. She was making lunch, smiley face sandwiches and only the best fruit. Jughead took a step forward, placing a quick kiss on Betty's temple.

"Hey Betts, where's Hunter?" Jughead asked, grabbing an apple slice and shoving into his mouth.

"In the living room with Ronnie. Archie should be here soon." Jughead smiled, kissing her temple once more before retreating to the other room, happy giggles erupting from within. Betty smiled as she continued to cut the fruit. Finishing up, she plates everything and quickly emerges in the other room, food in hand and a smile on her lips.

Before her was Jughead, seated on the floor with Hunter – their energetic 9 month old son – while Veronica laughed from the couch. Archie was walking into the room as Betty put the food down, nodding for everyone to eat while she pulled Hunter to her arms. He cooed loudly, throwing his tiny arms around her neck. Betty giggled, enveloping him with her arms.

Jughead was beside them soon after, picking up the toddler easily and tossing him up slightly in his arms, igniting fits of laughter from the tiny boy. Hunter's green eyes bright with excitement as Jughead continues to play with him, tickling and playing airplane. Betty just watches, laughing at her two boys. Veronica comes to sit beside her, gushing about a new set of cute clothes she's going to buy Hunter. Archie pipes up about teaching their son how to play the guitar.

"He'll be a rock star, like me!" Archie puffs out his chest, smirking. Veronica laughs, while Betty just smiles.

"Sure Archiekins, whatever you say boo." Jughead says coyly, making silly faces at his son.

Archie just smiles wider, laughing. "I don't know what's more scary. Jughead calling me _boo_ , or the fact that Ronnie didn't have my back!" He feigned hurt, thrusting a hand to his chest and hanging his head. Betty bursts out laughing, covering her mouth to stop herself from snorting at the poor boy.

Veronica moves to sit beside Archie, placing a manicured hand on his shoulder. "Babe, there isn't anything I can do to help you there." Her smile was smug as he pulled from her grasp, gasping at her words.

"You guys are so mean to me! Why did I ever become friends with you again." Everyone was laughing then, even Hunter, at Archie's exaggerated expressions and flailing of his arms. Betty held her stomach tightly, the muscles in her core tense from the fits of laughter.

Once she calmed her laughter, she leaned back against the couch, watching her friends. Archie and Ronnie were talking about something, both their face close to one another and animated. Ronnie was smiling at something Archie said, leaning her head against his shoulder before kissing his cheek. Betty smiled at them, fingers tracing the scar on her wrist idly.

Jughead's hand engulfed hers, bringing her attention to him. His blue eyes were filled with concern, looking down at Betty's fingers then back up at her. She just shrugged, smiling at him. He mouthed the words she knew all too well, nodding before he could finish. He frowned, placing their son on the floor in front of him before scooting over to drape an arm over her shoulders.

"You ok?" He whispered, voice tickling her ear and sending a wave of pleasure down her spine. She bit her lip and nodded, not trusting her voice won't sound heady. She notices his frown again, before leaning her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes gently.

"I'm ok Juggie."

He cleared his throat, Betty feeling his head move in a nod. She keeps her eyes closed, unaware of if she's falling asleep of just lost in thought. She's brought back to reality when Jughead moves away from her, causing her head to dip painfully to the side. Rubbing her neck, Betty just opens her eyes. Hunter was sleeping on the couch behind her head, snuggled closely with his toy monkey named FP. Looking around, she stands.

Jughead was watching Archie and Veronica closely, waiting for the signal. When Archie finally looked over at him, a slight nod was all he got before Archie stood.

"Ronnie?" Veronica looked up at her name, concern filling her perfect features.

"Yes Archie?" She stood, sparing a glance at Betty, who just shook her head with lack of knowledge. "What is it?"

"Veronica. Ronnie. You've been by my side for longer than I can remember. You're my biggest fan, and truest supporter, you're one of the reasons I even continued with music when I wanted to quit." Veronica was watching him, a charcoal tear trailing down her face. Archie reaches behind him, grasping something, then drops to one knee. "Veronica Lodge, will you marry me?"

"Holy shit!" Betty's voice broke the silence, causing Jughead to chuckle. Veronica stood silent, tears streaming down her face, smudging her makeup. She had a hand over her mouth, nodding furiously. Archie shot an eyebrow up, confusion all over his face.

"Yes!" Veronica finally shouted, a choked laugh following. Archie smiled huge, standing up and enveloping her in his arms. "100 times yes, Archie. Oh my god." Archie kissed her then, while Betty whistled, laughing at the two of them from her side of the room.

"Betty?"

Jughead's voice broke through the noise, Betty turning on her heel, still smiling. Then she halts. Before her is Jughead, down on one knee and navy blue eyes burning bright. A hand comes up to her mouth, strangling the gasp that escapes her closing throat.

"Betts, I don't have a fancy speech like Archie does, but I just have one question." He pulls out a tiny box, opening his with a click. Inside is the most beautiful ring Betty's ever seen, engraved on the side is a J, opposite of that is a B. Tears flow freely down Betty's cheeks as she inhales sharply. "Elizabeth Cooper, will you marry me?"

"Oh my gosh." Veronica's voice rang out, a shrill sound in the silence that followed.

Betty doesn't respond, just launches herself into his arms, tears flowing quickly as she wraps her arms around his neck. He wraps his arms around her torso easily, holding her tightly. She could hear his small sniffles, indication of his own crying.

She pulls back slightly, leaning back on her knees. "Yes." His face lit up at the one word, leaning forward to capture her lips in a kiss so full of passion, it was a wonder the whole world didn't shatter. Betty wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling her hands in his messy hair. His arms came around her waist, pulling her as close as possible. They stayed like that for eternity, or at least it felt like it to them.

Pulling away, out of breath and flushed, Betty leaned her forehead against Jughead's, biting her lip.

"I love you, Elizabeth Cooper." She opened her eyes, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Jughead Jones. I love you."


End file.
